New Delhi, Sept. 29 -- The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested Sandeep Bharat Mistry, a close aide of fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi, upon his deportation from the UAE in the $2 billion Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud probe, officials said on Tuesday.

Mistry, according to officials, was wanted by the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for his involvement in the fraud, which involved fictitious international trade transactions.

Elaborating on his role in PNB fraud, an officer said, "Mistry acted as a key link between various entities, overseeing their day-to-day operations and issuing the instructions through clandestine, self-deleting communication platforms to conceal evidence".

"He also facilitated the preparation ...