ED to attach more Choksi properties

New Delhi: A day after the CBI requested a Mumbai court to declare Mehul Choksi, the prime accused in the PNB scam, a proclaimed offender, the ED is set to attach fresh properties linked to the accused.

A day after the CBI requested a Mumbai court to declare Mehul Choksi, the prime accused in the Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam, a proclaimed offender, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is set to attach fresh properties/assets linked to the accused of the multi-crore scam.

Sources said, “The Central probe agency is preparing a fresh list of assets linked to the accused of the PNB scam, including Mehul Choksi. The ED will soon initiate a fresh proceding to attach their properties.”

The CBI, which is also investigating the scam, on Thursday requested a Mumbai court to declare Choksi a proclaimed offender, saying he has failed to respond to a nonbailable warrant.

In an application before a special judge for CBI cases in Mumbai, V.C. Barde, the agency said Choksi left the country even before the first FIR was filed in the case to “conceal himself ”.

“Choksi has already taken citizenship of Antigua, one of the Caribbean Islands, in order to avoid execution of a warrant issued by the court,” it said. The CBI also opposed Choksi’s plea for cancellation of the NBW issued against him. The court adjourned the hearing to October 17 for further arguments.

The CBI requested the court to declare Choksi a proclaimed offender and attach his properties under the Code of Criminal Procedure.

Under section 82 of the CrPC, a court can publish a proclamation requiring the accused to appear if the warrant issued against him cannot be executed. According to section 83 of CrPC, after issuing such a proclamation, the court may also order attachment of the proclaimed offender’s properties.