India suspends passport of billionaire jeweller

NEW DELHI: India said Friday it had suspended the passports of a billionaire jeweller and a diamond merchant accused of defrauding a state-run bank after reports they had left the country. India´s financial crimes agency is investigating allegations that Nirav Modi and his business partner Mehul Choksi were involved in defrauding the Punjab National Bank (PNB). Authorities have registered a money laundering case against Modi, one of India´s richest men and jeweller to top Hollywood stars including Kate Winslet and Naomi Watts. Ministry spokesman Raveesh Kumar told AFP their passports had been suspended for four weeks and would be revoked if they did not provide a response.