Mehul Choksi could be extradited to India: Antigua PM
Highlights
- Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi, who is currently in a London jail, are wanted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the CBI for allegedly defrauding the Punjab National Bank (PNB) to the tune of Rs 13,400 crore
- The ED recently told the Bombay high court that it was ready to provide an air ambulance to bring Choksi to India
Mehul Choksi (File photo) ANTIGUA/NEW DELHI: Bank fraud fugitive Mehul Choksi may be extradited to India after Antigua's Prime Minister Gaston Browne said the citizenship of the billionaire diamond trader will be revoked by the Caribbean country after he exhausts all his legal options, according to a media report.
Choksi, 60 and his nephew Nirav Modi, who is currently in a London jail, are wanted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the CBI for allegedly defrauding the Punjab National Bank (PNB) to the tune of Rs 13,400 crore.
"His citizenship was processed; he got through but the reality is his citizenship will be revoked and he will be repatriated to India; so there is recourse. It's not a case that we are trying to provide any safe harbour for criminals, for those who are involved in financial crimes," Prime Minister Browne was quoted as saying by the Antigua Observer on Monday.
"We have to allow for due process. He has a matter before the court and as we said to the Indian Government, criminals have fundamental rights, too, and Choksi has a right to go to court and defend his position. But I can assure you, after he has exhausted all of his legal options, he will be extradited," he said.
The ED recently told the Bombay high court that it was ready to provide an air ambulance to bring Choksi to India.
Choksi, currently based in the Caribbean nation of Antigua, told the high court that he left India for medical treatment and not to avoid prosecution in the case. He said he would return to India as soon as he is medically fit to travel.
Choksi, 60 and his nephew Nirav Modi, who is currently in a London jail, are wanted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the CBI for allegedly defrauding the Punjab National Bank (PNB) to the tune of Rs 13,400 crore.
Bombay HC orders JJ Hospital report based on Choksi’s medical case papers to determine his travel fitness
Bombay high court on Monday directed Mehul Choksi’s medical case papers and reports, called for by his counsel Vijay Agrawal and be sent to government run JJ hospital where HoD of Cardiaoligy will analyse and send a report to court on whether he is fit to travel to india.
"His citizenship was processed; he got through but the reality is his citizenship will be revoked and he will be repatriated to India; so there is recourse. It's not a case that we are trying to provide any safe harbour for criminals, for those who are involved in financial crimes," Prime Minister Browne was quoted as saying by the Antigua Observer on Monday.
"We have to allow for due process. He has a matter before the court and as we said to the Indian Government, criminals have fundamental rights, too, and Choksi has a right to go to court and defend his position. But I can assure you, after he has exhausted all of his legal options, he will be extradited," he said.
ED offers to provide air ambulance with medical experts to bring back Mehul Choksi from Antigua
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has offered to provide an air ambulance and a team of medical experts to bring back fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi from Antigua and provide him with all necessary treatment in India. In a counter affidavit submitted before the high court, ED has termed as "a facade" an affidavit submitted earlier this week by Choksi in which he claimed that he is unable to return to India due to persistent health problems.
The ED recently told the Bombay high court that it was ready to provide an air ambulance to bring Choksi to India.
Choksi, currently based in the Caribbean nation of Antigua, told the high court that he left India for medical treatment and not to avoid prosecution in the case. He said he would return to India as soon as he is medically fit to travel.
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