New Delhi: The CBI on Monday accused the UK branch of Interpol of not informing India of fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi's frequent travel to several countries using an Indian passport that had been revoked in February this year.

Indian security agencies were left red-faced following reports last week that Nirav, an accused in the Rs 13,000-crore bank fraud, had travelled between the US and the UK and to Hong Kong on his revoked passport between March 15 and March 31.

The Congress had charged the Narendra Modi government with helping the fugitive who was last seen in public on January 23 in Davos, posing with the Prime Minister and other businesspersons.

"UK Interpol should have informed India when he travelled to and from London to several countries in March but they did not," a CBI officer said on Monday.

The Indian side of Interpol is represented by the CBI.

"We had written to Interpol offices in the UK, the US, France, the UAE, Belgium and Singapore five times since February 15 and informed them of the revocation of his passport. But these Interpol member countries didn't inform us of Nirav Modi's movements," the official said.

Sources in the agency said that the UK had recently shared the travel details of Nirav, based on his revoked passport. On February 10, he travelled from US to Heathrow; on February 15, from Hong Kong to London; on March 15 from the UK to Hong Kong; on March 28 from the US to London; and on March 31 from the UK to Paris.#

Nirav, who is frequently travelling to and from London, is reportedly trying to seek asylum in Britain, citing "political persecution".

Last week, a visiting delegation from the UK had confirmed to junior home minister Kiren Rijiju about Nirav's presence in the UK.

The Union home ministry and the external affairs ministry have so far remained tight-lipped on how Nirav had been travelling on a revoked passport and both chose to pass the buck to each other.

The CBI, which had recently filed a chargesheet, moved Interpol last Monday for a red-corner notice against Nirav and his uncle Mehul Choksi.

Sources said the delay in approaching Interpol for the red-corner notice might have given a window of opportunity to the fugitives.

"Interpol usually does not entertain requests for a red-corner notice in the absence of a chargesheet against the accused," said an official.