Rs 114 bn PNB scam: ICAI begins probe to know whether any CA was involved

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), a state-controlled regulator for the sector, has said it is probing whether auditors played a role in perpetrating the alleged $1.77 billion fraud that Punjab National Bank unearthed last week.

The ICAI said on Thursday it has asked the Securities and Exchange Board of India, Punjab National Bank (PNB) and federal investigating agencies to share their findings of the alleged fraud, including anything related to the involvement of any chartered accountants.

The ICAI, which functions under the administrative control of India's Ministry of Corporate Affairs, said it has set up a committee to study the systemic lapses that contributed to the fraud and to suggest remedial measures and improvement.

Separately, the Economic Times newspaper reported that PNB has tapped PwC to conduct a probe into the alleged fraud that would help the bank build a case against jewellers Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi.

PNB officials were not immediately available for comment, while PwC declined to comment on the matter.

PNB fraud: Nirav Modi's Rolls Royce, Porsche seized; top 10 developments

Nirav Modi's luxury cars, including a Rolls Royce Ghost, a Mercedes Benz, and a Porsche Panamera, have been seized by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the Rs 114-billion Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case. Further, assets worth almost Rs 1 billion belonging to Modi and Choksi have been frozen by the probe agency.

The ED is also probing 120 shell companies allegedly linked to Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi. Further, the IT department has attached Rs 1.45 billion belonging to Nirav Modi.

Here are the top 10 developments in the banking scam that has gripped the country's financial sector:
1) ED seizes Nirav Modi's Rolls Royce Ghost and other luxury cars: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday said it had frozen mutual funds and shares worth Rs 945.2 million (Rs 94.52 crore) of the Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi groups in connection with the money laundering probe against them in the Rs 114-billion (Rs 11,400-crore) alleged PNB fraud at PNB.
It also seized nine high-end luxury cars of Modi as part of its investigation against him under the criminal provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).