The Ministry of External Affairs has requested authorities in Hong Kong to arrest businessman Nirav Modi, who is wanted in connection with a Rs 12,703-crore Punjab National Bank loan fraud, PTI reported on Thursday.

“The ministry has sought the provisional arrest of Nirav Deepak Modi by the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China, for which a request has been submitted to them on March 23, 2018,” Minister of State VK Singh told the Rajya Sabha in a written response to a question. The minister was asked if the government knew anything about the whereabouts of Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi, who is also an accused in the case.

A provisional arrest is made before a formal extradition request can be submitted.

In March, the United States government said it could not confirm if Modi was in the country after media reports claimed so. A month before that a special court allowed the Enforcement Directorate to send judicial requests to authorities in Hong Kong, United States, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Singapore and South Africa, asking them to help identify and seize Modi’s properties there. The Central Bureau of Investigation in February asked the Interpol to help locate Modi.