The fugitive diamantaire, wanted in the Rs 13,000 crore PNB scam case, had recently fled from Antigua and Barbuda and was captured in neighbouring Dominica following an Interpol Yellow Notice issued against him.
Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda Gaston Browne has said they have asked the Dominican government to detain Mehul Choksi and have him repatriated straight to India.
The Yellow Notice is issued by the Interpol to track missing persons.
Meanwhile, Indian agencies and authorities are now exploring ways to bring him back to India, according to sources.
“We have asked the Dominican government to detain him for entering their country illegally and to make him persona non-grata and have him deported directly to India,” PM Browne told India Today TV.
“We are in touch with the Indian High Commissioner to Antigua and Barbuda based in Guyana. If for legal reasons he returned to Antigua, then he would receive protection of the law,” he added.
However, Antigua has now requested Dominica to hand over Mehul Choksi to the Indian agencies.
“We are looking into how he made his escape. Investigations are underway. Will see if he had local help,” said Browne, adding that Choksi’s investments in Antigua were worth “peanuts.”
He stated that the fugitive businessman’s investment in Antigua was “just $100,000”. PM Browne further said that “we would have returned the money to him if he gave up his citizenship.”
Mehul Choksi took the water route to allegedly abscond from Antigua. He was caught by the authorities after reaching Dominica. Choksi had been living in Antigua and Barbuda since 2018 after taking citizenship of the country.
