Fugitive Businessman Mehul Choksi Missing; Antigua Seeks Interpol’s Help

Meanwhile, many unconfirmed news reports have suggested that Mehul Choksi may have fled to Cuba. PM Browne informed the Parliament that there was no evidence to suggest the same.

Fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi, wanted in the Rs 13,600 crores Punjab National Bank scam went missing from his home in Antigua on Sunday, the Caribbean nation of which he has been a citizen since early 2018. The Antigua government has approached Interpol and other international police agencies in the Caribbean region to trace him.

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.

#BREAKING: Antigua Prime Minister Gaston Browne confirms to me that Indian economic offender Mehul Choksi has gone missing from Antigua and Police is trying to trace him. Missing report filed by family. Will seek help from other countries in neighborhood. pic.twitter.com/JqaR9wZYhs

— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) May 25, 2021

“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 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 told CNN-News18.

The 62-year old’s nephew Nirav Modi, also an accused in the case, is fighting to ward off extradition from the UK, where he is in prison.

#BREAKING: Opposition in Antigua raises the issue of Mehul Choksi’s disappearance in parliament. Antigua PM Gaston Browne says, Antigua has shared details with Interpol as well as regional and international police in their efforts to trace the missing Indian economic offender. pic.twitter.com/d9dC80pIsM

— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) May 25, 2021

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.

Meanwhile, many unconfirmed news reports have suggested that Mehul Choksi may have fled to Cuba. PM Browne informed the Parliament that there was no evidence to suggest the same.

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“I do not believe that law enforcement or anyone for that matter would have contemplated that Mr Choksi would have fled the country. In any case, we don’t have any reliable information to date that he has fled the country. It is likely that he may still be here and law enforcement are utilising all efforts including all intelligence to try and locate Mr Choksi” the Prime Minister said.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had said in March that fugitive businessmen Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi, and Choksi are “coming back to India to face the law”. “The government is following up with the United Kingdom regarding the extradition of Mallya and Modi, while Choksi is believed to be in Antigua. They are all coming back to face the law of the land,” Sitharaman told Rajya Sabha.