PNB scam: Mehul Choksi surrenders Indian passport to Antigua
Antigua, Jan 21 (IBNS): Fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi, who is an accused in the 13,000-crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam, has surrendered his Indian passport to Antigua and also gave up his Indian citizenship, media reports said.
Choksi, who is now in Antigua, also submitted 177 dollars to the Indian High Commissioner in Antigua.
The move is interpreted as a tactic to avoid extradition to India, which, however, does not have a bilateral extradition pact with Antigua.
Officials told media that Choksi, who is a citizen of Antigua, gave his new address as Jolly Harbours Marks Antigua, NDTV reported.
Choksi, along with nephew Nirav Modi, a diamond czar, fled India in January. The businessman was granted citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda in 2017.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is probing this case along with the CBI where it is alleged that Modi and Choksi defrauded the Brady House branch of the PNB in Mumbai to the tune of about ₹2 billion (over ₹13,000 crore) in alleged connivance with officials.
In October, the ED attached assets worth over ₹218 crore in this case. The assets belong to Choksi, Mihir Bhansali, a close aide and US-based executive of main accused in the case Modi, and a company named AP Gems and Jewellery Park.
In December, Global police body Interpol issued a Red Corner Notice against diamond merchant Choksi.
This notice by the Interpol is a request to locate and provisionally arrest an individual pending extradition. It is issued by the general secretariat at the request of a member country or an international tribunal based on a valid national arrest warrant. In this case, the CBI had made that request.
Interpol has already issued a similar notice against Choksi's nephew Modi.
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