A Mumbai court recently criticized investigative agencies for their failure to arrest high-profile businessmen like Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi, and Vijay Mallya in a timely manner, allowing them to flee India. The special court’s remark came during a hearing of Vyomesh Shah’s plea to modify his bail conditions in a money laundering case.
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- Court Criticism: Mumbai court criticized probe agencies for failing to arrest high-profile businessmen at the appropriate time, allowing them to escape India.
- High-Profile Cases: The remark was made during the hearing of Vyomesh Shah’s plea, an accused in a money laundering case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
- Bail Condition Modification: Vyomesh Shah sought modification in his bail condition, specifically the requirement for court’s prior permission to travel abroad.
- Plea Accepted: On May 29, the court accepted Shah’s plea to drop the bail condition requiring prior permission for international travel.
- Enforcement Directorate’s Argument: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) opposed Shah’s application, arguing that it could lead to situations similar to those involving Nirav Modi, Vijay Mallya, and Mehul Choksi.
- Court’s Rejection: The court rejected the ED’s argument, noting that the failure to arrest the mentioned individuals in a timely manner allowed them to flee.
- Individual Cases: The court highlighted that Shah’s case was different from those of Modi, Mallya, and Choksi as Shah had complied with court summons, secured bail, and regularly applied for permission to travel abroad.
- Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi: Both Modi and Choksi are accused in the multi-crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam; Modi is imprisoned in the UK while Choksi resides in Antigua.
- Vijay Mallya’s Case: Vijay Mallya, currently in the UK, is accused of a loan fraud exceeding ₹900 crore, being investigated by the ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
- Court’s Observation: The court emphasized that the timely arrest of these individuals could have prevented them from fleeing, underscoring the investigating agencies’ failures in these high-profile cases.
