India gave all-clear on Choksi: Antigua
Indian agencies told Antigua there was no adverse information on Mehul Choksi when the Caribbean country did its background check on the fugitive billionaire before declaring him a "fit and proper candidate" for citizenship in 2017.
The said clearance certificate emanated from the Ministry of External Affairs Regional Passport Office, Mumbai. Any adverse finding would have rendered Choksi ineligible for travel visa for Antigua and Barbuda, the report in the Daily Observer said.
The Anitguan authorities also did a thorough check on Choksi by running his name through global agencies, including the Interpol, but "no derogatory instance" was cited against him.
However, the Caribbean authorities came across two instances of SEBI action against Choksi's firms in 2014 and 2017 and sought more information on them, the report said.
SEBI told authorities in Antigua that one case was "satisfactorily closed" and there was "insufficient evidence" to pursue the second matter.
The Antiguan unit said if there was a warrant against Choksi when his application of citizenship was being processed, Interpol should have been informed about it and it should have been part of the national criminal database.
Choksi is one of the alleged masterminds of the USD 2 billion scam in state-run Punjab National Bank and uncle of fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi. He fled India on January 4 this year and took oath of allegiance in Antigua on January 15. His citizenship was cleared in November 2017.
Incidentally, on July 29, 2016, Bengaluru resident Hari Prasad had informed the Prime Minister's Office about the alleged nefarious activities of Choksi and his companies.
In a recent response to a question by Congress leader Kapil Sibal, the Finance Ministry said in the Rajya Sabha that the PMO was "intimated" about the complaints regarding the PNB frauds and the matter was referred to it.
The reply, however, did not specify whether the complaints referred to the Finance Ministry included Prasad's specific complaint against Choksi.
SEBI IN DENIAL: The Security Exchange Board of India has dismissed reports that it provided a “positive report” on fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi to the Citizenship Unit of Antigua, based on which he was granted citizenship in the Caribbean nation. “SEBI neither received any such request, nor did it provide any such information to CIU,” the market regulator said in a statement.