Even as the name of fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi, wanted in a Rs 13,000-crore scam in the Punjab National Bank, has been removed from the Interpol database of Red Notices, government sources said the cancellation will not affect the case as it is already in an advanced stage.
“The cancellation of Red Corner Notice (RCN) against Mehul Choksi will not affect the case which is already in the advanced stage. There is a treaty in place. The moment Choksi will be arrested, the due procedure will be followed and action will be taken appropriately,” government sources said, as per ANI.
The Red Notice is the highest form of an alert issued by the 195-member country-strong Interpol to law enforcement agencies worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action.
Interpol had issued the Red Notice against Choksi in December 2018, nearly 10 months after he fled from India in January of that year to take refuge in Antigua and Barbuda, where he had taken citizenship.
Confirming the removal to CNN-News18 on Monday, Choksi’s lawyer Vijay Aggarwal said ultimately the truth has prevailed. “Due to efforts of the legal team and genuine claim of the kidnapping of my client and as this kidnapping attempt is not approved by the international community, the RCN (red corner notice) issued against my client by Interpol has been removed,” he said.
People familiar with Interpol proceedings said Choksi approached the global body last year for a review of his red notice citing his alleged abduction from Antigua and Barbuda.
An official, on the condition of anonymity, said the latest development means Choksi can travel out of Antigua and Barbuda, of which he is a citizen, where extradition proceedings are at a crucial stage.
The CBI has charge-sheeted both Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi separately in the scam.
The agency, in its charge sheets, had alleged that Choksi swindled Rs 7,080.86 crore, making it one of the biggest banking scams in the country at over Rs 13,000 crore. Nirav Modi allegedly siphoned Rs 6,000 crore. An additional loan default of over Rs 5,000 crore to Choksi’s companies is also a matter of probe under the CBI.
Choksi had disappeared from his sanctuary in Antigua and Barbuda in May 2021 to mysteriously appear in neighbouring Dominica where he was detained for illegal entry.
After news of Choksi being held in Dominica surfaced, India rushed a team of officials led by CBI DIG Sharda Raut to make every effort to bring him back on the basis of an Interpol Red Notice against him.
India’s effort to bring Choksi back was unsuccessful as his lawyers moved with unprecedented agility to file a habeas corpus petition before the Dominica High Court which was admitted for hearing.
(With PTI inputs)
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