E-Paper
Antigua police launch probe to find missing Mehul Choksi; no leads so far
Choksi is wanted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) in India in connection with ₹14,000 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) loan fraud and money-laundering case.
Antigua police are seeking public assistance for information on Mehul Choksi, an Indian fugitive diamantaire missing since Sunday evening. According to a police statement, Choksi was last seen at about 5:15 pm (local time) before leaving home in a car which has since been recovered. This comes after Choksi's lawyers said that the Indian businessman went for dinner at the southern part of the island and was never seen again.
Choksi is wanted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) in India in connection with ₹14,000 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) loan fraud and money-laundering case. He fled to the Caribbean island nation of Antigua and Barbuda in 2018.
After an official complaint was lodged at the Johnson Point Police Station, the police launched a manhunt for the Indian businessman. However, it has resulted in nothing so far. "Based on additional information received the police have conducted numerous searches but to no avail," the police informed in the statement.
Giving information on his physical attributes for identification purpose, the police asked the public to inform Johnson Point Police Station or the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), in case anyone get any information. "Mehul is described as being of Indian descent, brown in complexion, five feet six inches (5’ 6”) in height, heavily built with a balding hairline. The police are seeking the assistance of the public in knowing the whereabouts of Mr Choksi," the police statement said.
It also had numbers for the public to give information: 562-8942/43 and 460-3913/14.
Indian agencies - both CBI and ED - have seen the reports and Antiguan police statement regarding Mehul Choksi. They are trying to ascertain more details on the incident through proper channels, said officials.
Choksi is accused of siphoning off close to ₹7,080 crore in the ₹13,578 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud before fleeing to Antigua on January 4, 2018, a month before the mega-scam came to notice. He is the owner of the retail Geetanjali Jewelry Group.
Choksi was also allegedly involved in the stock market manipulation in 2013.
In December 2018, an Interpol red corner notice has been issued against Choksi, meaning that he will be arrested if he enters an immigration point anywhere in the world.
Earlier this year, Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that Choksi along with his nephew and another PNB scam accused Nirav Modi are "coming back to India" to face the law.
