NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has asked the Interpol wing of Nigeria to confirm if Nitin Sandesara, the promoter of Gujarat-based Sterlite Biotech, has moved there, officials said on Tuesday.
The move came after reports emerged that Sandesara, accused in a `5,300-crore scam, had fled from the United Arab Emirates to Nigeria along with his family members. India does not have an extradition treaty with the African nation.
The investigation agency, however, said it did not have any inputs about the businessman's whereabouts.
In October 2017, the CBI had booked Sterling Biotech, its directors Chetan Jayantilal Sandesara, Dipti Chetan Sandesara, Rajbhushan Omprakash Dixit, Vilas Joshi, chartered account Hemant Hathi and former director of Andhra bank Anup Garg, apart from others.
The CBI has alleged that the company had taken huge loans from a consortium led by Andhra Bank which have turned into non-performing assets. The FIR says the total pending dues of the group companies were `5,383 crore, as on December 31, 2016.
"The directors of the company connived with the in-house chartered accountant and falsified material records of the company, such as production, turnover and investments in capital assets,” the FIR alleged and added that this was done allegedly using various India-based entities and those situated abroad.