Nirav Modi’s Brother-in-Law becomes Witness in PNB Scam Case

In a big step for the investigation into the ₹13,000-crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud, a special CBI court has granted pardon to fugitive businessman Nirav Modi’s brother-in-law, Maiank Mehta. The court has officially made him an approver in the case. This means one of the co-accused has now become a witness, which will help strengthen the case against Nirav Modi.

The pardon was given under a law that allows an accused person to be forgiven if they agree to reveal all the facts they know about the crime. Mehta is married to Nirav Modi’s sister, Purvi Modi. He was allegedly part of the financial network created by Nirav Modi. Investigators had looked into his role because of his link to several of Nirav Modi’s firms. This makes him an important insider who knows how the scam worked, how money was moved, and which senior executives were involved.

The PNB scam is one of the biggest bank frauds in India’s history. It was carried out by using fake Letters of Undertaking (LoUs). These LoUs allowed Nirav Modi’s companies to get credit from overseas branches of Indian banks.

For the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED), making Mehta an approver is a major success. His testimony is expected to provide strong evidence about the entire conspiracy. He can explain the money trail used to siphon public funds and the direct roles of Nirav Modi and his uncle, Mehul Choksi. While Nirav Modi is still fighting extradition from the UK, Mehta’s decision to testify is seen as a serious setback for the defence. It is likely to give the court key evidence needed to prove guilt in this large financial crime.

The Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case involves fake Letters of Undertaking (LoUs) worth about ₹12,000 crore (US$1.4 billion), issued from PNB’s Brady House branch in Fort, Mumbai. This made the bank directly liable for the amount. The fraud is linked to jeweller and designer Nirav Modi, along with his wife Ami Modi, brother Nishal Modi, and uncle Mehul Choksi. Their companies — Diamond R US, Solar Exports, and Stellar Diamonds — along with several PNB officials, employees, and directors of these firms, were named in a CBI charge sheet. Nirav Modi and his family fled India in early 2018, just days before the scam became public.