A court on Saturday refused to cancel a non-bailable warrant issued by the Enforcement Directorate against fugitive diamond merchant Mehul Choksi, a key accused in the alleged Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam.
This is the first time the 111-year-old bank has come clean on the default perpetrated by Choksi, who has now settled as a citizen of Antigua & Barbados, the West Indies.
Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi, who both fled the country a year ago, are key accused in the USD 2 billion PNB fraud case. Choksi was granted citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda on January 15, 2018.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) attached immovable properties, valuables, vehicles and bank accounts with a total value of Rs 24.77 crore of fugitive diamond trader Mehul Choksi.
Fugitive diamantaire and key accused in PNB fraud case Nirav Modi's four Swiss bank accounts have been frozen by the authorities in Switzerland on request of India, confirmed Enforcement Department on Thursday.
The Antigua and Barbuda government will extradite fugitive businessman Mehul Chokshi to India soon, confirmed the Island nation's Prime Minister Gaston Browne.
The ED has now proposed to provide an air ambulance for Mehul Choksi with medical experts and bring him back to the country so that he can take part in the investigation into Rs 13,000 crore PNB scam.
"I am willing to join the investigation but due to my medical issue, I am unable to travel. I undertake to travel to India as soon as I am medically fit to trave," Mehul Choski said.
Twelve luxury cars belonging to absconding diamantaires Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi have been auctioned for Rs 3.29 crore, an ED statement said here on Friday.
Thirteen luxury cars owned by fugitive diamantaires Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi went on online auction by the Metals & Scrap Trading Corporation, here on Thursday.
Choksi, who currently lives in the Carribean Islands and is evading Indian investigators, had declared bankruptcy in August, last year.
PNB scam accused Mehul Choksi gives up Indian citizenship, surrenders passport to Antiguan government
Both Choksi and Nirav Modi are absconding since the case was registered by the ED and the CBI. Choksi was last reported to be in the Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda.
The agency said it has issued a provisional order for attachment, under the PMLA, of the factory premise owned by Abbeycrest (Thailand) Limited which is a "group company" of the Gitanjali group of companies.
Accusing the Enforcement Directorate (ED) of deliberately not disclosing his health condition, Choksi said he is ready to settle the case.
The notice was issued following a request by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) which is probing the Rs 12,000 PNB scam along with other agencies.
His lawyer Sanjay Abbot made this submission Saturday before special PMLA judge M S Azmi during the hearing of ED's plea to declare Choksi a fugitive under the new Fugitive Economic Offenders Act.
The court was hearing the Enforcement Directorate's application to declare Choksi as a 'fugitive economic offender", reported news agency ANI.
Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi are wanted by the ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for allegedly defrauding the PNB to the tune of Rs 13,400 crore apparently in collusion with few of its employees.
Choksi is one of the alleged masterminds of the USD 2 billion scam in state-run Punjab National Bank and is an uncle of fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi.
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