Mehul Choksi shares video from hideout in Antigua, says ED allegations against him baseless

In the video, Mehul Choksi said that his passport was suspended due to reasons of security threat to India.

Fugitive diamantaire, Mehul Choksi, who is wanted for his role in the Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam has released a video from his hideout in Antigua saying that all the charges levelled against him by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) are false and baseless. Choksi said so while answering questions by news agency ANI. The questions were asked by Choksi's lawyer in Antigua.

Commenting on ED's charges that the diamantaire set up shell companies, Choksi said, "All the allegations levelled by the ED are false and baseless. They have attached my properties illegally without there being any bases of same."

Another video in which he can be seen answering questions about his revoked passport, Choksi said that his passport was suspended "due to reasons of security threat to India". "I did not receive any reply from passport office, further the Regional Passport Office did not give any reason as to how I was a security threat to India," he further said.

India has been trying to extradite Choksi who took citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda earlier this year. Choksi had also said that he does not want to return to India citing the current political climate and health issues.

The Rs 13,600 crore-scam was detected by PNB officials after Choksi and nephew Nirav Modi were found to be cheating with the help of a few bank officials. ED and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) are both investigating the case.

(Edited by Anwesha Maduhkalya)