Gitanjali Gems promoter Mehul Choksi, who is an accused in the Rs 11,380-crore scam at Punjab National Bank, has told his employees that he will not be able to clear their dues or pay their future salaries. In an email to his employees, Choksi asked them to look for other jobs, reported The Indian Express. This comes days after the other accused, Nirav Modi, told his employees the same thing.
Choksi has cited seizing of his bank accounts and other properties as a reason for not his inability to pay off the dues. He accused the investigating agencies of conducting unfair inquiry and “stopping all operations”. He also denied any wrongdoing. “I will face my destiny and I know I have done nothing wrong and ultimately the truth shall prevail,” Choksi wrote in the email.
The email was released by his lawyer Sanjay Abbot on Friday. Abbot said it has been sent to around 3,500 employees in India. “We don’t know how many employees will get the letter as Choksi’s server has been seized by investigation agencies,” he told the Hindustan Times.
Choksi claimed that investigating agencies were being unfair and only trying to create havoc. “At this moment, the investigating agencies seem to be interested not in a fair investigation but in creating a fear psychosis within my employees. The kind of unfair treatment, unfair investigation, media frenzy and political statements are making me highly insecure about the safety of myself and my family members,” he said.
Earlier, billionaire jeweller Nirav Modi had claimed that the Punjab National Bank’s overzealousness hampered his ability to clear his dues. In a letter to the bank management dated February 15 – a day after the bank made the irregularities public – the jewellery designer alleged that his companies owed much less than the amount that the bank has cited.
Modi and Choksi are accused of cheating Punjab National Bank of Rs 11,380 crore. The scam involves bank officials allegedly handing out fake Letters of Understanding on behalf of companies associated with him, which allowed him to access massive foreign exchange loans that were completely unsecured.
Nirav Modi’s passport revoked: Report
The government on Friday revoked Modi’s passport, reported the Hindustan Times. “The Ministry of External Affairs sent an email informing Nirav that his passport stands revoked under section 10 (3) (C) of the Passport Act,” the newspaper quoted an unidentified source as saying.
Modi’s lawyer, Vijay Aggarwal, said government move was a violation of the guidelines and court rulings. “There is only an FIR against him, no prosecution has been launched,” Aggarwal said. “We may approach court against the order.”
On February 16, the MEA had suspended Modi’s passport for four weeks, and issued him a notice asking why his passport should not be revoked.
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