PNB fraud: Govt working out modalities to extradite Mehul Choksi from Antigua

NEWDELHI: India on Monday said it is working out an arrangement with Antigua for extraditing absconding diamantaire Mehul Choksi, who is accused in the ₹14,000 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud, the biggest banking scam in the country, despite the two nations not having a formal extradition treaty.

The mechanism is based on both India and Antigua being Commonwealth countries and recognizing each other as “designated Commonwealth countries” under their respective extradition Acts.

India notified Antigua as a “designated Commonwealth country” on Friday under the provisions of its 1962 Act, while Antiguan authorities already recognize India similarly under the provisions of their 1993 Extradition Act. “The government of Antigua and Barbuda notified India as a designated Commonwealth country in 2001,” said a person familiar with the matter. A government of India gazette notification dated 3 August says that “the central government hereby directs the provisions of the Extradition Act of 1962 shall apply in the case of Antigua with effect from the date of notifying India as a designated Commonwealth country.”

“These notifications constitute an extradition arrangement between India and Antigua and Barbuda under their Extradition Act of 1993 and provides the legal basis for extraditing offenders from each other’s jurisdiction,” the person quoted above said.

India over the weekend handed over an extradition request to the Antiguan government to bring back Choksi, one of two key accused in the PNB fraud.