The Central Bureau of Investigation today examined Punjab National Bank's Managing Director and CEO Sunil Mehta and its Executive Director K V Brahmaji Rao in connection with the Rs 11,400 crore PNB scam allegedly involving diamantaire Nirav Modi and owner of Gitanjali Gems Mehul Choksi, officials said.

They said the examination is focussed on understanding how the crime was detected by the bank and other procedural issues and their violations.

They are not being treated as accused, the officials said.

It has been alleged that fraudulent guarantees were issued to the uncle-nephew duo of Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi through 293 Letters of Undertaking.

Refusing to give out any further details, the officials said the agency is also questioning the 12 accused arrested by the agency so far.

They said this is the first time the agency has examined the top brass of the Punjab National Bank in connection with the fraud, which remained undetected state for over six years, shaking up the banking system of the country.

According to the website of the PNB, Rao is in-charge of the integrated risk management division, credit (operations), monitoring of accounts with exposure of above Rs 50 crores, including stock audit and Portfolio Management Service (PMS), industrial rehabilitation and action taken on borrowal frauds reported from Mumbai, where the alleged fraud took place. Rao started his banking career in Vijaya Bank in the year 1982 as a Probationary Officer, it said.

Mehta started his banking career as an agriculture field officer at the Allahabad Bank in 1982.

The CBI has so far arrested 12 accused in the case.

Vipul Ambani, president (finance) of Fire Star Diamond, executive assistant Kavita Mankikar and senior executive Arjun Patil (all from Nirav Modi's companies) were arrested on Tuesday.

Kapil Khandelwal, CFO of Nakshatra group and Gitanjali group, and Niten Shahi, manager of Gitanjali group, were also arrested by the agency the same day.

An authorised signatory of Nirav Modi's company was also arrested. From the PNB, the agency had arrested Rajesh Jindal, a general manager, retired official Gokulnath Shetty and Single Window Operator Manoj Kharat, besides three other officials -- Bechhu Tiwari, Yashwant Joshi and Praful Sawant. Shetty and Kharat allegedly sent messages of the LoUs using an international messaging system for banking systems called SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication), which is used to pass instructions among banks globally to transfer funds, but did not make entries in the bank's system to avoid detection.

Based on these instructions and guarantees, funds were released by overseas branches of Indian banks. It is alleged that Rs 11, 400 crore of LoUs were fraudulently issued to the firms of Nirav Modi and Choksi.  -- PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks at Amma two-wheeler scheme launch event on former CM Jayalalithaa's 70th birth anniversary in Chennai:

- I am glad to be able to launch one of her (Jayalalithaa's) dream projects -- the Amma two Wheeler Scheme. I am told that on Amma's 70th birthday, 70 lakh plants will be planted across Tamil Nadu. These initiatives will go a long way in empowerment of women and protection of nature.

- When we empower women in a family, we empower the entire house-hold. When we help with a woman's education, we ensure that the family is educated. When we facilitate her good health,we help keep the family healthy. When we secure her future,we secure future of the entire home.

- We made a change in the Factory's Act and suggested the states to allow women to work in night shifts as well. We also extended maternity leave from 12 to 26 weeks.

- Under the PM Awaas Yojana, the registry of the House is done in the name of the woman.

- When there was a Congress-led government at the Centre, Tamil Nadu had received Rs 81,000 crore under the 13th Finance Commission. After the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) came to power, this state received Rs 1,80,000 crore under the 14th Finance Commission.  -- ANI

Former Congress chief and Rae Bareli MP Sonia Gandhi's day-long visit to her parliamentary constituency was cancelled today due to 'unavoidable reasons'.

"Gandhi's day-long visit has been cancelled due to unavoidable reasons. We informed district officials about it late last night," her representative K L Sharma said.

Gandhi was to attend a meeting of party leaders and launch a number of schemes from MP's discretionary fund at the Bhuremau Guest House today.  -- PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi plants saplings near the entrance of Kalaivanar Arangam auditorium in Chennai.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and Deputy CM O Panneerselvam also planted saplings.

To commemorate the 70th birth anniversary of former CM Jayalalithaa, 70 lakh saplings will be planted across the state. Photograph: ANI

Singer Papon has quit the singing reality TV show as judge following the complaint of sexual assault that was filed against him for kissing a minor contestant of the TV programme.

Yesterday, a Supreme Court lawyer filed a complaint with the National Commission for Protection of Child Right alleging 'sexual assault' after the singer uploaded a video on his Facebook page where he is seen kissing the minor contestant of the show Voice of India Kids.

Papon, who had earlier said that he was being 'victimised' for no fault of his as he would 'never commit an indecent act', today took to Twitter to make the announcement that he is stepping down as judge from the show.

'Since I am in no mental state to fulfil most of my professional obligations, I have decided to step down as a judge on the show till the matter in which I have been falsely implicated is fully resolved and the investigations are over.

'I have full faith in the judicial system and eventually the truth will prevail. In the interim I would appreciate that my privacy is respected,' Papon tweeted.

The channel, &TV, which airs the show, also released a statement saying that Papon will not be shooting for any further episodes 'till the issue is resolved'.

'In light of the ongoing enquiry, and in the best interest of the participants' well-being, Mr Angarag Mahanta (Papon) will be stepping back as the coach on the show The Voice India Kids on &TV. He will not be shooting any further episodes till the issue is resolved.

'As broadcasters, it is our responsibility to act in an unbiased and just manner and we are committed to doing so. In the interim, we would humbly request everyone to please show understanding and concern towards all the parties involved and allow for the due process to be completed,' the statement read.

Supreme Court lawyer Runa Bhuyan has filed the complaint under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO).

The child's father, however, has defended the singer in the case, saying Papon is a 'father figure' to his daughter. Papon was one of the judges on the show along with fellow singers Shaan and Himmesh Reshammiya.  -- PTI

Beginning March 1, seven judges of the Supreme Court will retire this year.

The apex court is already short of six judges even as a recommendation for appointing two judges is pending with the government.

On March 1, Justice Amitava Roy will demit office, followed by Justice Rajesh Agrawal on May 4, according to the websites of the Supreme Court and the law ministry.

Friday was the last working day for Justice Roy as the top court will reopen on March 5 after the Holi break.

Justice J Chalmeswar, the senior-most judge of the top court after the chief justice of India, will retire on June 22, followed by Justice Adarsh Goel on July 6, the websites said.

CJI Dipak Misra will himself demit office on October 2, followed by Justice Kurian Joseph on November 29 and Justice Madan B Lokur on December 30.

The string of retirements and shortage of six judges will put a pressure on the collegium to nominate names and the government to make appointments at a faster pace.

The Supreme Court collegium had last month sent to the government the names of senior advocate Indu Malhotra and Uttarakhand high court Chief Justice K M Joseph for their appointment as judges of the apex court.

The government is yet to take a call on the recommendations.  -- PTI

The passports of Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi, accused in Punjab National Bank scam, have been revoked, ANI reports, quoting sources.

More details awaited.

Pakistani troops today violated the ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir, prompting retaliatory fire from the Indian Army, an official said.

The Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked firing on Indian posts along the LoC in Uri sector in Baramulla district of north Kashmir around 11.50 am, an Army official said.

He said Indian soldiers were retaliating effectively and no casualties have been reported so far.  -- PTI

Image for representation only.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) today attached 21 properties, including a penthouse and a farmhouse, of Nirav Modi and his group worth over Rs 523 crore in fresh action against the beleaguered jeweller in the alleged Rs 11,400 crore fraud in the Punjab National Bank.

The central probe agency said it has issued a provisional order for attachment of the assets, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), and seized a Rs 81.16 crore valued penthouse (created by joining three flats) and a flat worth Rs 15.45 crore in the sea-facing Samudra Mahal apartments in the Worli area of Mumbai.

"21 immovable properties of Nirav Modi and companies controlled by him, with a market value of Rs 523.72 crore, have been provisionally attached.

"These include 6 residential properties, ten office premises, 2 flats in Pune, a solar power plant, a farmhouse in Alibaug and 135 acres of land in Karjat in Ahmednagar district," the agency said.

While the agency had earlier seized gems, diamonds, jewellery, shares, bank deposits and costly cars in this case since it registered a criminal case under PMLA on February 14, this is the first major action to seize immovable assets.

While the Samudra Mahal properties and two other flats in Punes Hadapsar area are in the name of Modi and his wife Ami, the assets attached in the pricey Kalaghoda and Opera House area in the Maharashtra capital are in the name of Modi's diamond firm-- Firestarter Diamond International Private Limited.

A farmhouse and adjoining land, worth over Rs 42.70 crore, in the Kihim area of beach-side Alibaug of the Nirav Modi Trust has also been attached.

Similarly, a 53-acre solar power plant, valued at Rs 70 crore, in the Karjat area of Ahmednagar district of the state has also been brought under the same action.

Two office properties, worth about Rs 80 crore, in the name of Mark Business Enterprises Private Limited in the Lower Parel area of Mumbai have also been attached.

With the latest action, the total assets seized by the ED in this case are now over Rs 6,393 crore, officials claimed, adding that this was being independently valued.

The agency has also summoned Modi, Ami and Modi's uncle and Gitanjali Gems promoter Mehul Choski for questioning in the case on February 26.

Modi, Choksi and others are being investigated by the ED and other probe agencies after the fraud recently came to light, following a complaint by the Punjab National Bank that they allegedly cheated the nationalised bank to the tune of Rs 11,400 crore, with the purported involvement of a few employees of the bank.

The CBI and the ED have registered two FIRs each to probe the case. Both Modi and Choski are said to have left the country before criminal cases were lodged against them.  -- PTI

IMAGE: Nirav Modi's farmhouse in Alibag. Photograph: ANI

Taliban militants stormed an Afghan army base in the western province of Farah overnight, killing at least 18 soldiers, officials said today.

"Last night a big group of militants attacked an army base in Bala Buluk district of Farah. Unfortunately, we lost 18 soldiers, two soldiers were wounded. We have sent more reinforcements to the area," defence ministry spokesman Daulat Wazir said.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.  -- Agencies

The Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune, in an examination, asked what was wrong with Union minister Satyapal Singh's argument criticising Charles Darwin's theory, with the dean of the institute saying that the question was 'aimed at testing logical thinking of the students'.

Sanjeev Galande, Dean of Research and Development at the IISER said the question was why the quoted argument cannot be correct and it was about the logic and not about the statement.

"We at IISER, emphasis on the pedagogical way of teaching and question papers are not summary-based. The students are supposed to think and provide logical reasoning and the question, which was posed during the exam was quite straightforward and was aimed at testing logical thinking of the students," he said.

"This is not that we are opening a debate (over the statement made by the minister) but it is theoretical exercise and to make the students do logical arguments and how they can answer in a different way," Galande said.

Singh, the Minister of State for the Human Resource Development, had last month claimed that the Darwin's theory of evolution of man was 'scientifically wrong' and said it should not be part of school and college curriculum.

The IPS officer-turned politician had drawn flak for his comments from the scientific community but he stuck to his stand.

"Darwin's theory (of evolution of humans) is scientifically wrong. It needs to change in school and college curriculum. Since man is seen on Earth he has always been man. Nobody, including our ancestors, in written or oral, have said they saw an ape turning into a man," he had said.

The IISER on February 22 posed a question to undergraduate students, pursuing a course in 'evolution' during their mid-semester examination, asking what was wrong in his arguments.

'The minister of state for Human Resource Development [MHRD] in India recently claimed that the Darwinian theory of evolution is wrong because 'Nobody, including our ancestors, in writing or orally, has said they saw an ape turning into a man'. What is wrong with this argument?' read the question.

The question had a note attached to it, which read: 'This question is NOT asking why biologists believe evolution to be correct. It is asking why the quoted argument cannot be correct in terms of disproving the Darwinian theory of evolution.'

Darwinism is a theory of biological evolution that states that all species of organisms arise and develop through the natural selection of small, inherited variations that increase the individual's ability to compete, survive, and reproduce.

It was developed by Charles Darwin, a 19th century English naturalist, and others.  -- PTI

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Saturday slammed regulators for failing to detect the Rs 11,400-crore fraud at Punjab National Bank for seven long years, saying unlike politicians, regulators in the Indian system are unaccountable.

Speaking on the scam for the second time this week, he said employees conniving with fraudsters is worrisome.

Also worrisome is that no red flag was raised.

Regulators should have a 'third eye' open to detect and check such frauds. Speaking at the ET Global Business Summit, he said the industry needs to get into the habit of doing 'ethical' business as such frauds are 'scars' and push reforms and ease of doing business to the background.

Unethical behaviour in the lender-borrower relation has to end, he said.

"If needed laws will be tightened further to punish delinquent persons."

He also slammed bank management for failing to do their job saying inadequate supervision and top management being unaware of what was going on in the bank was worrisome.  -- PTI

The Congress is in back-channel talks with the Naga People's Front for a post-poll pact in a bid to keep the Bharatiya Janata Party-Nagaland Democratic Progressive Party 'out of power' in Nagaland, sources said.

The incumbent NPF is contesting on 58 of the 60 assembly segments in the state.

The Congress had nominated 23 contenders for the February 27 polls.

However, the actual number of its candidates in fray is 18 after five of its contenders withdrew nominations.

The NDPP and the BJP are contesting the election in alliance.

"The Congress could not enter into a pre-poll tie-up with the NPF. But back-channel talks are now on with the NPF for a post-poll alliance to keep the BJP-NDPP out of power," a Congress leader said on condition of anonymity.

The leader said the Congress will reach out to the National People's Party as well for the alliance 'if need be' after the poll result is out on March 3.

Meanwhile, the All India Congress Committee observer for the election, Praveen Davar, said a 'secular' government would come to power in the north-eastern state and claimed the Congress would be able to win 10-12 seats.

The Congress does not have any member in the outgoing state assembly.

More than two years ago, all its eight legislators had joined the ruling NPF.

"But we are going to attain double digit figure now. We will be a decisive force in the state as people here want a secular government and there is a strong undercurrent against the BJP," he claimed.

The Congress is seeking to return to the power after a hiatus of 15 years.

The NPF and BJP shared power in the state since 2003, but severed ties ahead of the upcoming polls.

The result of the election, along with that of Tripura and Meghalaya, will be declared on March 3.  -- PTI