Antigua To Revoke Citizenship Of PNB Scam Accused Mehul Choski; May Finally Get Extradited To India

Diamantaire Mehul Choksi is likely to be extradited to India soon as the government of Antigua and Barbuda, where he is residing, on Tuesday (25 June) said that his citizenship of the country will be revoked, reports News18.

"His (Mehul Choksi) citizenship was processed; he got through but the reality is his citizenship will be revoked and he will be repatriated to India; so there is recourse. It’s not a case that we are trying to provide any safe harbour for criminals, for those who are involved in financial crimes." the Antiguan Prime Minister Gaston Browne said in a statement.

The extradition process against the diamond businessman, who is an accused in the multi-crore Punjab National Bank scam, began in March this year.

The Antiguan PM said that Choksi has the right to defend his position. “But I can assure you after he has exhausted all of his legal options, he will be extradited,” Browne said.

Choksi, along with his nephew Neerav Modi, has been accused of defrauding the PNB of Rs 13,500 crore. He left India before he could have been apprehended by the authorities and has been living in the Caribbean islands for nearly one year.

According to a Mumbai Mirror report, Choksi, who has been living in the Carribean islands for nearly one year, told a local news channel recently that his doctors have advised him not to travel. He also claimed that he did not flee India but left the country for a heart surgery. “I will return to India as soon as I am fit to travel,” he said.