PTI, NEW DELHI: The CBI has registered a fresh FIR against Gitanjali Group promoter Mehul Choksi in connection with alleged fraud in the issuance of Letters of Understanding worth Rs 11,400 crore from Punjab National Bank, officials said today.
The CBI has alleged that the new FIR pertains to 143 LOUs worth over Rs 4,886 crore fraudulently issued to three companies of Choksi — Gitanjali Gems, Nakshatra and Gili — during the period 2017-18, they said. The agency had earlier registered a separate case involving Rs 280-crore fraud, which has now been expanded to cover LoUs worth Rs 6,498 crore issued to accused companies of Nirav Modi and Choksy.
A LoU is a letter of comfort issued by one bank to branches of other banks, based on which foreign branches offer credit to buyers.
After registering the FIR, the CBI carried out searches at 26 locations across six cities covering the premises of 18 Indian subsidiaries of Gitanjali Group.
The CBI also questioned four officials of Punjab National Bank — Bechu Tiwari, Chief Manager posted at Nariman Point branch, Mumbai during February 2015-17; DGM Sanjay Kumar Prasad who was then AGM at Brady house branch during period 2016-17; Chief Manager of zonal audit office Mohinder Kumar Sharma, who was then concurrent auditor during Nov 2015-Janurary 17; and Manoj Kharat, then Single Window Operator during November 2014-Decemeber 2017, the officials said.
They said a special team under a Deputy Inspector General (DIG) is being formed to probe the case.
