India seeks help from UK, France, Belgium to trace Nirav Modi

India has renewed its efforts to get Nirav Modi extradited to the country by writing to Belgium, France and the UK, seeking help to trace the fugitive diamond merchant accused of defrauding Punjab National Bank (PNB) of about Rs 13,000 crore along with his uncle Mehul Choksi.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) last week sent note verbale to these countries on this matter, and its officials held a meeting with officials of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) on how Nirav Modi was travelling despite his passport being revoked in February by the ministry, officials said.

Many countries do not honour passport cancellation. However, they do honour a Red Corner Notice (RCN) by the Interpol. Indian agencies are yet to acquire an Interpol RCN, the internationally recognised procedure to apprehend proclaimed offenders.


MEA officials hold regular meetings on the issue of extraditing Nirav Modi, and the latest such meeting was on Tuesday. Fresh note verbale have been issued to the UK, Belgium and France where India believes Nirav Modi could be hiding. The ministry is in touch with these countries. Foreign minister Sushma Swaraj visited Belgium and France last week.

According to experts, there are two options for nabbing Nirav Modi. The first and most feasible option is to acquire a Red Corner Notice from Interpol. People familiar with the process say revoked passports, court notices and other evidence against Nirav Modi can push Interpol to act. It is in this procedure that cancellation of his passport will help.

The other option is to trace Nirav Modi's exact location. Once there is certainty about his location, India can move for his extradition, depending on whether India has a mutual legal assistance or extradition treaty with that particular country.