Interpol removes fugitive Mehul Choksi’s name from its red notice
Earlier, Interpol added Choksi's name to its red notice in December 2018, nearly 10 months after he fled from India in January 2018 to take refuge in Antigua and Barbuda, where he had taken citizenship.
The Interpol removed its red notice against fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi wanted in a ₹13,000-crore scam in the Punjab National Bank on the basis of his plea to the Lyon-headquartered agency, reported Hindustan Times on 20 March.
However, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) remained tight-lipped on the development.
Earlier, Interpol added Choksi's name to its red notice in December 2018, nearly 10 months after he fled from India in January 2018 to take refuge in Antigua and Barbuda, where he had taken citizenship.
Calling the case a result of political conspiracy, Choksi had challenged the CBI application seeking issuance of Red Notice against him and raised questions on issues such as jail conditions in India, his personal safety and health.
As per sources, the matter went to a five-member Interpol committee's court, called Commission for Control of Files, which had cleared the RCN (Red Notice) rejecting his contentions.
Both Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi have been charge sheeted by CBI in the PNB scam.
CBI in its allegations have said that Choksi swindled ₹7,080.86 crore, making it one of the biggest banking scam in the country at over ₹13,000 crore, while, Nirav Modi allegedly siphoned ₹6,000 crore.
An additional loan default of over ₹5,000 crore to Choksi’s companies is also a matter of probe under the CBI.
In May 2021, Choksi had disappeared from his sanctuary in Antigua and Barbuda to mysteriously appear in neighbouring Dominica where he was detained for illegal entry.
After 51 days in prison, Choksi, 62, was given bail by Dominica High Court July 2021 to travel back to Antigua to seek medical help from a neurologist based there with a provision that he will return to face trial when gets fitness clearance by his doctors.
Later, all the proceedings against Choksi of illegal entry into Dominica were dropped.
Meanwhile, Congress' General Secretary in-charge Communications Jairam Ramesh took a swipe at the BJP government on this development.
He took to Twitter and wrote, "Modi Sarkar ke Do Bhai—ED aur CBI—pursue Opposition leaders with great vigour in furtherance of the PM's politics of vendetta & intimidation. But they allow Interpol to give a lifesaver to Mehul Choksi!"
With agency inputs.
Catch all the Business News , Breaking News Events and Latest News Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates.
MoreLess
First Published:20 Mar 2023, 10:26 PM IST
- Top Gainers
- Top Losers
- 52 Week High