The Indian government has a terrible setback in its pursuit of Mehul Choksi, the fugitive diamond businessman, after Interpol surprisingly revoked the “Red Corner Notice” against him. Choksi, a main suspect in the $2 billion Punjab National Bank heist (PNB)
Choksi filed a petition in the Antigua and Barbuda High Court, naming the Indian government as a defendant. According to the plea, two Indian operatives (probably R&AW personnel) kidnapped him in Antigua and brought him to the Dominican Republic in June 2021.
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Who is Mehul Choksi
Mehul Choksi is the founder of the Gitanjali Group, a large Indian jewelry store. He was born in Bombay, India, on May 5, 1958. He has made headlines in recent years as a result of his involvement in a high-profile financial scam. In 2018, he and his nephew, Nirav Modi, were charged with cheating the Punjab National Bank (PNB), one of India’s largest state-owned banks, of over $2 billion.
Choksi went to Antigua and Barbuda in early 2018, where he was given citizenship in 2018. He was later apprehended in Dominica in May 2021, after leaving Antigua and Barbuda on suspicion of financial fraud. Choksi is currently facing allegations of unlawful entry in Dominica, and Indian authorities want him extradited to face fraud and money laundering charges.
Before issuing the RCN against Choksi, Interpol had expressed multiple concerns with both the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in 2018 about the need for such a notice.
In October 2018, Interpol requested that the ED provide a brief overview of the case, specific claims against Choksi, clarifications on the sequence of events leading up to the filing of the complaint, and attachments and evidence against him.
It further objected to Choksi’s case being jumbled up with Nirav Modi’s, despite the fact that both were functioning in separate capacities, leading different companies.
Reason why Interpol removed Mehul Choksi from Red Corner Notice
The fugitive diamantaire reportedly requested a review of his red notice last year, citing his purported abduction from Antigua and Barbuda. Notably, his counsel convinced the international police organization that Indian investigators sought to kidnap him. He declined to comply with the Indian government’s resistance to Choksi’s removal from the wanted list for these reasons.
Interpol reported the claimed abductions while removing Choksi’s name from the RCN list.
Interpol noted in its order that there was a credible probability that the applicant’s abduction from Antigua to Dominica was carried out with the ultimate goal of deporting the individual to India. Furthermore, Interpol voiced concern that if the individual is extradited to India, he may not receive a fair trial or treatment, emphasizing the importance and intricacy of the case.
Outcomes of Mehul Choksi being of the list
Choksi was added to the blacklist in December 2018. He can now freely travel across the world thanks to the withdrawal of RCN. He is free to leave Antigua and Barbuda without fear of Interpol arrest. He appears to have spent $100,000 to become a citizen of Antigua and Barbuda using the Caribbean country’s Citizenship by Investment program.
Unfortunately, the Indian authorities did not cancel his passport because the competent authorities did not accept his plea to renounce Indian citizenship. In 2018, India requested that Choksi be extradited from Antigua.
The news is a setback for the Indian government as well as the two federal agencies, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
