PMO overlooked complaints against Mehul Choksi, facilitated his escape, alleges Congress

The Congress on Tuesday alleged that the Prime Minister's Office overlooked complaints against PNB scam accused Mehul Choksi and "facilitated" his escape from the country.

Congress leader Pawan Khera, in a statement, claimed that "serious proofs" have come to light that show that "every concerned agency was aware about the serious complaints pending against the runaway diamond trader".

This has been "conceded by none other than Prime Minister's Office on the 3rd of August 2017", the statement said.

The PMO "blatantly overlooked" the complaints and "facilitated the runaway" of the Rs 23,484 cr PNB scam accused, it alleged.

"Connivance of the PMO led by Shri Narendra Modi in the escape of Rs 23,484 Cr PNB scam accused-Mehul Choksi...is now out in the open," Khera alleged.

Ten months before he fled India, Choksi got the Mumbai passport office in early 2017 to give him a clearance which certified there was no adverse information against him, he alleged.

Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne, in an interview to a television channel on July 27, 2018, had said the Indian government has not approached them on Choksi, who has secured citizenship of the Caribbean country, Khera claimed.

"It is important to note that PM Shri Modi had met Mr Gaston Browne in April, 2018, but did not raise the issue of Mehul Choksi's citizenship!" he said.

Khera also claimed that the PMO maintained a "suspicious silence" despite being aware about Choksi's alleged financial wrongdoings.