Scindia House Fire: Files related to Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi case safe, says CBDT

While speculations had been rife that files on the absconding diamantaire Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi were destroyed following a massive fire on the Income Tax department office in Mumbai, the government officials on Sunday refuted the report.

As per the government clarification, all the records related to the investigation into the Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi case were transferred to the assessment units housed in different buildings before the fire broke out on Mumbai IT office on Friday.

“News reports appearing in some sections of media alleging that records/documents relating to investigation of Nirav Modi/Mehul Choksi have been destroyed in the Scindia House fire in IT Office, Mumbai are completely false and misdirected,” the CBDT said in a statement.

News reports appearing in some sections of media alleging that records/documents relating to investigation of Nirav Modi/Mehul Choksi have been destroyed in the Scindia House fire in ITOffice,Mumbai are completely false & misdirected @PMOIndia @FinMinIndia @arunjaitley @adhia03

— Income Tax India (@IncomeTaxIndia) June 3, 2018

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"Apprehensions about any loss or damage to the records and documents relating to the Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi case in the said fire at the IT Office are, therefore, misplaced," the statement added.

The IT department is investigating the over Rs 13,400 crore banking fraud. Both Modi and Choksi had left the country before the Punjab National Bank filed the complaint with the CBI. They are at large after defrauding the bank of this huge amount using 1,200 illegally secured letters of undertakings (LOUs).