The 62-year-old had gone missing from the Caribbean island nation of Antigua and Barbuda, where he fled in 2018.
One of India’s most wanted person in connection with the Punjab National Bank loan fraud case, fugitive diamond merchant Mehul Choksi, has been captured from Dominica while trying to flee to Cuba, as per sources. Earlier this week, the 62-year-old had gone missing from the Caribbean island nation of Antigua and Barbuda, where he fled in 2018.
Mr Choksi disappeared at a time when the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate are putting in efforts to extradite him. The agencies are investigating ₹ 14,000 crore fraud at India’s second largest state owned bank.
Mehul Choksi, according to sources, had reached Dominica — a tiny island nation in the Caribbean — by boat. He was, however, caught by the local police due to the lookout circular issued against him and is currently in their custody.
Sources said that the process of handing Choksi over to the Antigua authorities is on and the CBI and ED have been informed that he has been found. His attempt to flee will make their case stronger in Antiguan courts and they are confident that he would be in India sooner, said sources in the CBI.
According to a notice issued by the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda, Choksi was reported missing on May 23 at Antigua’s Johnson Point Police Station.
“He was last seen at about 5.15 pm on the above-mentioned date before leaving home in a motorcar which has since been recovered. Based on additional information received the police have conducted numerous searches, but to no avail,” the police had said in the notice issued on May 24.
“Someone from the Mehul Choksi household reported him missing. He left home to have dinner and did not return home. Police found his vehicle at the location where he had dinner and they are now trying to locate him. Police have found the vehicle that he was driving but have not been able to find him,” Antigua PM Gaston Browne had told CNN-News18.
Choksi had fled India in January 2018, several days before the PNB scam came to light. He had applied for citizenship in November 2017 under the island nation’s Citizenship by Investment programme.
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