New Delhi,Dec.13 : Global police body Interpol issued a red corner notice against fugitive offender Mehul Choksi, wanted in the 13,000-crore bank fraud case, on Thursday. The Interpol arrest warrant came on a CBI request. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) had filed a charge sheet against him in a Mumbai court.
The RCN was issued six months after the CBI sent a request to the international organisation in connection with the Punjab National Bank(PNB) fraud case.
Mehul Chinubhai Choksi is an Indian fugitive businessman, residing in Antigua and Barbuda, who is wanted by the Judicial Authorities of India for criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, cheating and dishonesty including delivery of property, corruption and money laundering.
Authorities in Antigua are now likely to trace him and inform India. Choksi’s movements will be tracked and he won’t be allowed to leave the country. The 59-year-old had left India in January for medical treatment in the US.
Choksi was last traced to Antigua, where he has been granted citizenship. He had taken the oath of allegiance as a citizen of Antigua on January 15 and just days later, on January 29, the CBI filed a case and started investigating Mr Choksi and Nirav Modi.
The CBI has chargesheeted both Nirav Modi and Choksi separately in the scam. The CBI, in its chargesheets last month, alleged Choksi swindled Rs.7080.86 crore. This is India’s biggest banking scam at over Rs.13,000 crore.
Nirav Modi, a nephew of Choksi, allegedly syphoned Rs. 6,000 crore. An additional loan default of over Rs. 5,00 crore to Choksi’s companies is also a matter of probe under the CBI.
Prasanta Patnaik