Govt requests Antigua to extradite fugitive Choksi

new delhi — India has handed over a request to Antigua for extradition of bank fraud fugitive Mehul Choksi who has obtained citizenship of the Caribbean nation.

Official sources said a team from India was sent to Antigua few days back to pursue the authorities there to extradite Choksi.

“The team met the Foreign Ministry officials of the island nation on Saturday and handed over the request to extradite Choksi to India,” an official source said.

Choksi is one of the alleged masterminds of the $2 billion scam in state-run Punjab National Bank and is an uncle of fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi.

He is wanted in India by the CBI and Enforcement Directorate probing the fraud, the biggest banking scam in the country.

As per reports, Antiguan authorities cleared his citizenship in November 2017 after India did not give any adverse report to stall his application.

Choksi had fled India on January 4 this year and took oath of allegiance in Antigua on January 15.

The CBI had sent its request to

the Ministry of External Affairs for extradition of Choksi.

Choksi’s application for citizenship in Antigua in May 2017 was accompanied with clearance from the local police as required by norms, Antiguan newspaper the

reported, citing a statement from the Citizenship by

Investment Unit of Antigua and Barbuda (CIU).

Under the Citizenship by Investment Programme of Antigua and Barbuda, a person can take their passport on a minimum investment of $100,000 in the NDF investment fund.

Choksi and his companies allegedly

availed of credit from overseas branches of Indian banks using the fraudulent guarantees of PNB given through letters of undertaking (LoUs) and letters of credit issued by the Brady House branch which were not repaid, bringing liability on the state-run bank, the officials have said. —