PNB officials face lie-detection

New Delhi: The CBI is preparing to conduct “lie-detection” tests on two former senior officers of the Punjab National bank (PNB) in connection with its investigation into the fresh (third) FIR registered by the agency against billionaire diamond merchant Nirav Modi and his firms.

The agency in its fresh FIR, registered last week, alleged that Modi — accused of being the mastermind behind the fraud pegged at Rs 12,686 crore in the first two FIRs — and his firms had also misused legitimate loans and guarantees in active connivance with two former PNB officers. “These officers are not co-operating with the probe agency and are giving conflicting statements during examination. If required, the CBI may conduct lie-detection tests on them”, sources said. Sources further clarified the agency will first need to seek their consent as legal provisions entail that such a test can not be conducted without their permission.

Sources said there are allegations that PNB had been cheated of a further $49.4 million (close to Rs 322 crore). The CBI registered its third case against billionaire jeweller in connection with the alleged fraud in credit facilities extended by PNB, causing a loss of Rs. 321 crore to it. The action was taken on a complaint by the bank on March 4. The CBI named Modi, then president (finance) of his Firestar Diamonds International Limited Vipul Ambani, chief finance officer Ravi Gupta, other directors and officials of the company, and unidentified public servants of the bank in this FIR.

The bank alleged in its complaint that its Brady Road branch in Mumbai had extended credit facilities to Firestar group between 2013 and 2017. The bank also alleged that it came to its notice that credit facilities were not used for the purpose--packing credit, guarantees etc --for which they were given.