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India is in talks with Antigua & Barbuda and Dominica on the extradition of fugitive diamond merchant Mehul Choksi to India, and is trying to get the process expedited, said a source.
“We are in touch with the government of Antigua & Barbuda and Dominica.
Our interest in getting fugitives like Choksi and others remains strong. We will have to see how fast we can get them back,” a source tracking the matter, told BusinessLine .
The Indian Missions in both Antigua & Barbuda and Dominica have established contact with the governments there, and so have Indian agencies investigating the matter, the source added.
The fugitive diamond merchant had fled India in 2017 after defrauding Punjab National Bank of an estimated ₹13,000 crore, together with his nephew, Nirav Modi, using forged documents. Choksi subsequently applied for citizenship of Antigua & Barbuda and was granted citizenship under an investment programme. The country, reportedly, started the process of cancellation of Choksi’s citizenship earlier this year.
Criminal charges
Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne informed the media earlier that he had given clear instructions to the Dominican authorities to repatriate Choksi, where he could face the criminal charges levelled against him.
The UK Home Office approved the extradition of Nirav Modi, Choksi’s partner in crime, to India earlier this year from the UK, but Modi has appealed against it at the UK High Court.
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