Officials at the Surat customs department have begun the procedure to declare fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi as an absconder, submitting an application under Section 82 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) at the district Chief Judicial Magistrate’s (CJM) court on Thursday. The hearing of the application has been slated for August 13. A case of duty evasion has been registered against the businessman, who has been accused of cheating Punjab National Bank (PNB) to the tune of Rs 13,500 crore. 

Officials at the Surat customs department have begun the procedure to declare fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi as an absconder, submitting an application under Section 82 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) at the district Chief Judicial Magistrate’s (CJM) court on Thursday. The hearing of the application has been slated for August 13. A case of duty evasion has been registered against the businessman, who has been accused of cheating Punjab National Bank (PNB) to the tune of Rs 13,500 crore.