(indiatimes.com) - Owners of big diamond companies in the world’s biggest diamond cutting and polishing centre in Surat are on tenterhooks due to frequent visits by bank officials for audit and stock evaluation post the biggest-ever banking scam in the Punjab National Bank (PNB) involving billionaires Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi. Company owners said bank officials change at every visit. At most of the diamond companies in the city, bank officials have paid more than five visits after the PNB scam. They check everything, right from account books to diamond stocks and also enquire about order books and details of overseas and domestic clients. Gitanjali Gems, owned by Mehul Choksi, was the diamond trading company (DTC) sightholder of world’s largest diamond mining company De Beers. At De Beers, the compliance is strict when it comes to financial propriety and industry reputation issues. However, the multi-crore bank scam involving Choksi has destabilized the Indian banks and financial institutions.
