A Mumbai court has issued summons to Nirav Modi to appear on March 12, failing which the court may issue a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against him.

The Enforcement Directorate today had moved a special court, seeking issuance of a NBW against Nirav Modi, a key accused in the over Rs 11,000-crore PNB fraud case.

Yesterday, the court, set up under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, had allowed the central agency's plea seeking issuance of Letters Rogatory (LRs) to six countries for obtaining information about the overseas businesses and assets of the diamantaire.

Special PMLA Court Judge M S Azmi today heard the arguments of ED's special counsel Hiten Venegoankar on the agency's plea seeking issuance of the NBW against Nirav Modi, who is believed to be in the US.

The judge will hear tomorrow Modi's lawyer Ashul Agarwal on the issue of his locus standi to address the court in the absence of his client.

Venegoankar told the court that the ED registered a case against Nirav Modi on February 15 and from that time issued three summonses to him to appear before the agency.

He said the summonses were issued on February 15, February 17 and February 22, asking him to appear before the ED on February 16, February 22 and February 26, respectively.

The ED lawyer said Nirav Modi did not appear before the agency for questioning and hence it has sought issuance of an NBW was against him.   -- PTI