Choksi, an uncle of his alleged partner in crime Nirav Modi, fled India in January, weeks the bank scam surfaced.
Fugitive jeweller Mehul Choksi, wanted in the Rs 11,600-crore Punjab National Bank scam, has moved to Antigua and Barbuda and has bought citizenship in the Caribbean nation, according to sources in probing agencies.
Following an Interpol notice, Antiguan authorities have informed the Enforcement Directorate that Choksi arrived in the country this month after obtaining a passport. Until then, he was hiding in the US.
To become a citizen of the country, one can invest $1.5 million or contribute $100,000 to the National Development Fund or an approved charity. Besides this, applicants must be of "outstanding character, hold no criminal record, have a high personal net worth and reside with the family members who are included in the application in the country for a minimum of 35 days within a period of five years".
Choksi, an uncle of his alleged partner in crime Nirav Modi, fled India in January, weeks the bank scam surfaced.
"To get citizenship all you need is money which he looted from India," said a senior IPS officer.
A special court in Mumbai had issued a non-bailable warrant against him. Armed with the warrant, the CBI moved the Interpol for the issuance of Red Corner Notice against the Gitanjali group promoter, who is one of the masterminds behind $2 billion banking fraud in the Punjab National Bank, but it is still under process.
On this basis, request for Red Corner Notice was moved in June. While RCN has been issued against Nirav Modi and his brother Nishal by the Interpol, the request for such a notice against Choksi is pending with the Lyon-based international police cooperation agency, they said.
The issuance of RCN would mean that the member countries of the Lyon-based international police cooperation agency can arrest and extradite him.
Mehul Choksi has refused to return to India, saying he would be killed by mobs if he was brought back. He also has appealed in Interpol saying that he fears of being lynched in India.
Further for a cancellation of the non-bailable warrants against him, his lawyer appealed before court: "There have been various cases of mob lynching in India... Even the applicant faces a similar threat as there are several persons who have grievances and anger against him (Mehul Choksi)."
India does not have extradition treaty with Antigua and Caribbean countries that would help Choksi to evade the law forever.
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