ED conducts searches at Gitanjali Gems stores in city malls

Kolkata: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) today conducted search operations at Gitanjali Gems stores located in shopping malls here and at Rajarhat, in connection with the Rs 11,400-crore Punjab National Bank fraud.

The name of Mehul Choksi, the owner of the stores, features in the multi-crore rupees fraud.

A senior ED official told PTI that its officers conducted searches at five malls which house Gitanjali Gems stores, including in Salt Lake and Rajarhat.

PNB has detected the scam in which billionaire diamond merchant Nirav Modi allegedly acquired fraudulent letters of undertaking (LoUs) from a branch in Mumbai to secure overseas credit from other Indian lenders.

Choksi is said to be Modi’s uncle.

The ED had yesterday visited a now-closed Camac Street store of Gitanjali Gems, and another one at Durgapur, which is run on franchisee basis.