Indian government blows up $14 million mansion of fugitive jeweller

Jeweller Nirav Modi is now believed to be hiding in London

The multimillion dollar mansion of an Indian diamond merchant – wanted in a $2bn fraud case with a state bank – was blown up on Friday.

Indian officials said that jeweller Nirav Modi’s $14 million mansion was in contravention of several environmental laws.

More than 100 dynamite sticks were used around the 33,000sq-ft bungalow near Kihim Beach, said Vijay ​Suryawanshi, district collector of Raigad.

Modi was a jeweller known to the stars, with his creations worn by A-listers from Bollywood and Hollywood, including Priyanka Chopra, Kate Winslet and Dakota Johnson.

Since August 2018, he has been wanted by Indian police on a range of charges including criminal conspiracy, corruption, money laundering, and fraud with officials from the Punjab National Bank.

He is believed to be in hiding in London.

In January, officials had begun the demolition process using bulldozers, excavators and other equipment, but it proved to be slow and tedious.

This week, detonators were fixed at various points on the bungalow to carry out the controlled blast and bring it down in a single explosion.

The bungalow’s fixtures will be up for auction. Three items – a jacuzzi, a chandelier, and a Buddha statue – will be handed to India’s fraud agency.