The government said today that no firm promoted by Nirav Modi group featured in the list of more than 2.26 lakh companies whose names were struck off from the official records till the end of 2017. As part of larger efforts to curb the black money menace, the corporate affairs ministry has deregistered little over 2.26 lakh companies for not carrying out business activities for long. Diamond merchant Nirav Modi is allegedly the key person behind the Rs 12,700 crore scam at the Punjab National Bank. Nirav Modi, his associates and related companies are under the regulatory scanner. To a query on whether there are any companies promoted by Nirav Modi group in the list of struck off entities, Minister of State for Corporate Affairs P P Chaudhary replied in the negative.

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In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, he said that none of the companies promoted by Nirav Modi group figured in the list of 2,26,166 companies because the companies promoted by this group did not come within the purview of Section 248 (1)(c) of the Act, under which the names of these entities were struck off.

Under Companies Act, 2013, Section 248 (1)(c) pertains to removal of a company from the register for not carrying out any business for two immediately preceding financial years and has also not made any application for dormant company status.

"2.97 lakh companies were identified under this category as on March 31, 2017 and after following due process, names of 2,26,166 companies were struck off from the register of companies as on December 31, 2017," the minister said.