Indian tax collectors fetch 7.96 mln USD from fugitive jeweler's art auction

MUMBAI, March 27 (Xinhua) -- India's investigating agencies have fetched 7.96 million U.S. dollars from fugitive jeweler Nirav Modi's art auction following court orders, local media, citing Mumbai tax officials, reported on Wednesday.

The amount recovered on Tuesday is a fraction of the 1.89 billion U.S. dollars probed by the bankers for their dues from the jeweler.

A special court has allowed the income tax department to auction the 68 paints owned by Nirav Modi.

Nirav Modi was arrested in London last week and appeared before a British court last Wednesday which rejected his bail plea.

He will remain in custody till March 29, 2019.