PNB Fraud: Supreme Court To Hear Plea Seeking SIT Probe On Friday
The Supreme Court agreed to hear a plea seeking an SIT probe and other reliefs in the PNB fraud.
The Supreme Court today agreed to hear on Friday a plea seeking a special investigation team probe and other reliefs in the over Rs 11,000-crore Punjab National Bank fraud.
Two separate petitions were filed before the apex court yesterday seeking its direction to the Centre to initiate the process of deportation of Nirav Modi, who is abroad, and others allegedly involved in the case as soon as possible, preferably within two months.
One of the petitions was mentioned today before a bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud. The bench posted the matter for hearing on Feb. 23.
The public interest litigation, filed by petitioner Vineet Dhanda through advocate JP Dhanda, has sought setting up of an SIT to probe the banking fraud, allegedly involving billionaire jewellers Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi.
It also sought a probe into the role of the top management of PNB.
The other plea, filed by advocate ML Sharma, had said that the SIT should consist of retired judges of the apex court while claiming that the banking fraud has caused serious injury to the general public and the state's treasury.
It should be investigated not by an agency “being controlled by the political leaders/authorities,” Sharma’s petition had said.
The plea has alleged that loans were issued in the case without following Reserve Bank of India's financial rules and regular systems.
The plea by Dhanda has sought the court’s direction to the Finance Ministry to set guidelines for grant of a higher amount of loans of Rs 10 crore and above to ensure safety and its recovery.
It has also sought a directive for the constitution of a committee of experts who would find the details of bad debt cases in the country.
The CBI has already registered two first information reports—one on Jan. 31 and another a few days ago—against Modi, his uncle Mehul Choksi of Gitanjali Gems and others for allegedly defrauding the PNB of about Rs 11,400 crore.