Mumbai, August 11, 2026: The demand of the CBI for absconding businessman Nirav Modi's sister Purvi Mehta's physical presence is just, fair and reasonable, a special CBI court has said in its order rejecting Mehta's plea seeking permission to appear through video conferencing. The court said the plea was an attempt to avoid presenting herself before Indian courts.
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Special CBI Judge S.K. Karhale said that "Mehta is a proposed accused and she is not a witness or approver. Her presence in this case is imperative for the purpose of confrontation with voluminous documents, accounts, entries, transactions, etc., which require detailed interrogation. This kind of interrogation in serious cases like this may not be possible through V.C.," while rejecting her plea.
Court Questions Conduct Of Mehta
The court further noted that Mehta had never turned up before any agency. It observed that she was made an approver in the money-laundering case lodged by the Enforcement Directorate against Nirav Modi on the condition that she return to India, appear before the court and extend full cooperation with the judicial proceedings.
The court said she had not returned to India, citing the pandemic as the reason. "The plea of inability to travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic ceased to exist long ago, yet for more than five years thereafter she has made no bona fide effort to be present before the competent Court," the order said.
"She has no genuine intention of submitting herself to the jurisdiction of this court and is merely attempting to secure procedural indulgence without fulfilling the mandatory obligations imposed upon her," the court said, adding that the plea had been filed as an attempt to remain beyond the reach of the Indian criminal justice system.
CBI Opposes Video-Conferencing Request
The CBI had last year filed a third supplementary chargesheet in the Nirav Modi-Punjab National Bank fraud case against Mehta in March. While the chargesheet is still pending for cognisance, Mehta had moved a plea seeking to turn approver in the case. The defence also requested that her statement be recorded through video conferencing.
Senior counsel appearing for Mehta argued that the CBI's approach was not fair and progressive and submitted that she was willing to cooperate with the agency through video conferencing.
However, prosecutor Limosin argued that Mehta was a beneficiary of the fraud committed against PNB and that the CBI wanted to interrogate her after securing her physical presence.
The prosecutor further contended that she was evading appearance before the agency and that video conferencing is only an enabling provision, not a facility that can be claimed as a matter of right.
Physical Presence Necessary
Rejecting Mehta's plea, the court said: "There is no doubt that a progressive approach has to be adopted by all stakeholders, but in any case, no accused or proposed accused under the garb of progressive approach could be allowed to evade the investigation in a serious crime."
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PNB Fraud Case: Mumbai Special CBI Court Rejects Nirav Modi’s Sister Purvi Mehta’s Plea To Testify Via Video Conferencing"The applicant has no legal right to insist for recording of her statements under the above-referred provisions through V.C. only. Considering her role in the alleged crime, this Court is of the view that her physical appearance before the Investigating Officer for recording her statement is necessary," the court said.
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