Choksi looted country under the nose of the Modi govt: CPI

Mehul Choksi

Bank fraud fugitive Mehul Choksi looted the country under the very nose of the Narendra Modi government and fled to Antigua, National Secretary of CPI D Raja said today, demanding that the Centre respond to the Caribbean nation's assertion that Indian authorities did not give any adverse report to stall granting of citizenship to him.

India has handed over a request to Antigua for extradition of bank fraud fugitive Choksi who has obtained citizenship of the Caribbean nation.

"All this was happening under the very nose of the Modi government. Why was no action taken against Choksi? He has looted the country and the people's money and fled away. He has taken the citizenship of another country. All these things were known to the government agencies. Government must answer," said Raja.

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.

He is wanted in India by the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate probing the fraud, the biggest banking scam in the country.

As per reports, Antiguan authorities cleared his citizenship in November 2017 after India did not give any adverse report to stall his application.

Choksi had fled India on January 4 this year and took oath of allegiance in Antigua on January 15.

The CBI had sent its request to the Ministry of External Affairs for extradition of Choksi.