A CBI request, India’s nodal agency for Interpol matters, to issue a Red Corner Notice against Choksi is pending with the international police organisation and is likely to be granted soon.
In response to diffusion notice issued by Interpol, the Antiguan authorities informed the Enforcement Directorate that Choksi arrived there this month and had taken the passport of that country, government sources said.
Choksi, in his application moved before the special PMLA court, claimed he faces a threat to his life not only from his former employees and debtors but also from jail staff and inmates (where he would be launched if he returns).
The visit follows the case it registered against Nirav Modi earlier this year following three different cases filed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Diamantaire Nirav Modi's uncle was reportedly seeking asylum in the US. Based on this information Indian authorities had sought Washington's help in his extradition.
Choksi said that due to his ill-health he would not be able possible to travel and attend the court.
The Income Tax Office today denied reports that evidence related to Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi case were destroyed in the recent fire at the department's office in Mumbai's Scindia House.
Usha Ananthasubramanian, the Managing Director and CEO of the Allahabad Bank, who held the same position at Punjab National Bank from 2015 to 2017, had been named as an accused along with other senior officials.
The probe is reportedly a part of the existing FIR filed against Choksi and his Gitanjali Group but different from the Rs 14,700 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case.
Earlier on March 8, the investigative agency had sent summons to both Nirav and Choksi to join investigations as early as possible.
Choksi, along with his nephew Nirav Modi and his family, flew out of the country in January 2018, days before PNB unearthed the biggest banking scam of India.
The PNB, the country's second-biggest state-run lender, filed a supplementary complaint to the CBI on March 4 against Gitanjali Gems Ltd, Gill India Ltd, Nakshatra Brand Ltd and Asmi Jewellery India Ltd for the additional fraud amount.
Choksi has said he was travelling "abroad for my business" and had embarked on the journey before the probe agency filed an FIR against him.
In its plea, the company sought quashing of seizing of movable properties of Nirav Modi and depositing them with the PNB.
The development in the alleged fraud came after CBI picked him up from the Mumbai airport for questioning.
The questioning came a day after the CBI arrested four people -- two employees and an auditor of Nirav Modi's group of companies, and a director of Gitanjali Group of Companies.
The ex-parte NCLT order was passed on a petition filed under various sections of the Companies Act 2013 by the Union Corporate Affairs Ministry last week before the Mumbai bench of the NCLT, the ministry said.
The agency has arrested two employees and an auditor of the Nirav Modi group of companies, while a director of the Gitanjali group of companies owned by Choksi has also been taken into custody, officials said.
The court, set up under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), issued the NBWs on applications filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), one of the agencies probing the bank fraud cases registered last month.
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