London, March 10 (IANS) Fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi fled India in January 2018 only days before the epic Punjab National Bank (PNB) Swift scam broke. Even as investigators swooped down on PNB, it was clear that Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi have ingeniously defrauded the PNB of Rs 13,000 crore using Letters of Undertaking for the malady exercise.

Nirav Modi, whose whereabouts have remained a mystery since he has been "seen" in New York, Hong Kong and other parts of the world, has now surfaced in London where apparently he has been living for several months now. His former shop Nirav Modi in Old Bond Street, Mayfair, London closed down and seized in July 2018 (see pic).

This was done at the authority of the landlord. IANS has a copy of the Take Notice (see copy) whereby the property was seized. Shockingly, despite Interpol having issues a Red Corner Notice against him, he has been brazenly living in London and doing business in high-end jewellery and watches. 

While his passport was revoked in February 2018, IANS tracked down his old establishments here. 

The fact that Nirav Modi has been living and working here with a National Insurance number in recent months from the Department for Work and Pension, compounds the agony for India who has been in his pursuit for over 15 months. 

It shows our investigators and foreign office in poor light that they have been unable to move for his extradition. The Central Bureau of Investigation is now asking the Interpol for his immediate arrest.