A special CBI court permitted the Enforcement Directorate's plea seeking permission to interrogate employees of the Nirav Modi group firms who are in judicial custody in the alleged Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud. Special CBI judge S R Tamboli allowed the ED’s plea.

The accused are lodged in high security Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai.

An ED official stated, “We had sought permission saying that we have registered a case and we want to interrogate them.”

The ED had sought permission to interrogate Vipul Ambani, Manish Bosamiya, Miten Pandia, Sanjay Rambhia, Vipul Chatalia and Kavita Mankikar.

On January 31 and February 15, the CBI and the ED registered separate cases against Nirav Modi, his companies, and diamond jeweller Mehul Choksi in connection with the multi-crore PNB fraud.

The CBI has so far arrested a total of 19 accused, including Gokulnath Shetty, former DGM, PNB.