A special court in Mumbai on Thursday allowed the auction of 13 properties of Gitanjali Gems Limited, a firm of fugitive diamond trader Mehul Choksi, the prime accused in the Punjab National Bank (PNB) loan fraud case. Judge S M Menjoge of the special court hearing cases related to the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), while allowing the official liquidator's plea, held that if the properties are kept idle without maintenance then it will definitely reduce the value. These properties are: seven flats in Kheni Tower in Mumbai's Santacruz, a commercial unit in Bharat Diamond Bourse, four office units at Diamond Park in Gujarat's Surat and a shop there. The liquidator had last week moved a plea, seeking to get a valuation of these properties which are not secured and later sell them by way of auction. The Enforcement Directorate (ED), in its response, had said that it has no objection if the plea was allowed. The court then ruled that after undertaking the valuation process,