New Delhi: Fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi on Wednesday was arrested and is in the custody of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Dominica while trying to flee to Cuba, the Antigua media reported.

As per the report, Mehul Choksi, who was wanted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) for a multi-core bank fraud, is in the custody of Dominica Police.

Choksi was reported to be missing on Sunday by a family member and then he was apprehended on Tuesday night following a yellow notice alert.

According to Antigua local media, police in Dominica are now making arrangements to hand Choksi to Antigua Police. Choksi had received the citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda in 2017.

On Tuesday, Choksi, wanted in a Rs 13,500 crore loan fraud in Punjab National Bank, went missing in Antigua and Barbuda where he has been staying since January 2018, his lawyer and the Royal Police Force of the Caribbean island nation said.

Prime Minister Gaston Browne has said he has “no reliable information till date” that Choksi has fled the country and it was very likely that he was still in Antigua and Barbuda.

In a statement to the Parliament of Antigua and Barbuda, Browne said authorities were “collaborating” with the Indian government, neighbouring countries and international police organisation to try and locate Choksi.

“Someone from his household indicated that he is missing. Since then Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda put out a statement to that effect. That statement will be shared with the Interpol,” he said.

Browne said Choksi has two cases against him in courts of Antigua and Barbuda –extradition and revocation of citizenship — for which he has brought in a celebrated lawyer from the United Kingdom to represent him and this showed his willingness to stay and contest the cases.

“I do not believe that law enforcement or anyone would have contemplated Mr Choksi would have fled the country. In any case we do not have any reliable information to date that he has fled the country. It is likely he may be still here and law enforcement is utilising all the efforts including all intelligence to try and locate Mr Choksi,” he said.

Prime Minister Browne also downplayed “speculation” that Choksi had fled to Cuba as no aircraft with a flight plan having him as passenger has left the country, leaving the only option of travelling by boat.

The businessman was last seen on Sunday in his car. Police recovered the vehicle after a search but Choksi could not be found, a statement from the Antiguan police said on Monday night India time.

His lawyer Vijay Aggarwal confirmed that Choksi has been missing since Sunday.

“Police in Antigua have started search operations for him. The family is worried about his safety. We are keeping a watch on developments,” Aggarwal told PTI on Tuesday.

The media reports said Choksi, who had taken citizenship of the island nation, was seen driving in the southern area of the island on Sunday.

Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi are wanted for allegedly siphoning Rs 13,500 crore of public money from the state-run Punjab National Bank (PNB) using letters of undertaking.