Mumbai: Spl Court Rejects CBI Custody Plea For Gitanjali Gems' Sunil Varma In PNB Fraud Case

Mumbai: The special CBI court on Saturday rejected the central agency's plea for custody of international business head of Gitanjali Gems, Sunil Varma to interrogate him in connection with the PNB fraud case claiming he was not arrested at the time of filing the chargesheet and other technical legal aspects. The court also extended the interim bail of Varma for two more days claiming he appeared before the court on Saturday and had not breached the condition

Disappointed with the court's view, CBI immediately moved a plea seeking to arrest Varma. The defence lawyer Ababd Ponda, however, objected to it and sought time to respond to CBI's plea. The court has now scheduled the hearing on the plea by Tuesday.

Varma, who is said to be a very close associate of another accused Mehul Choksi, appeared before the special court on Thursday. The CBI prosecutor, A Limosin, while seeking his custody had submitted that Verma never responded to the summons or notices and chose to remain away from the probe.

The defence argued that Varma had left the country much before the case was registered in 2017. The case was registered only in 2018. Besides, it was contended that Varma was served notice at his Mumbai address which he had left long back as he had shifted to the USA.

Varma, along with Choksi and other accused, was the brain behind the mammoth bank fraud which had been going on since 2013-14 onwards. he is alleged to be the mastermind behind the formation of Shell Companies in the Gitanjali Group.