PNB Fraud: Antigua government denies India's request to extradite Mehul Choksi

Mehul Choksi had fled India on January 4 this year and took the oath of allegiance in Antigua on January 15. His citizenship was cleared in November 2017.

Image courtesy: PTI

NEW DELHI: The Antigua government denied India's request for extradition and said that since their constitution protects its citizens, therefore, they will protect Choksi. The government also said that they will also not arrest him. The Antigua government further clarified that they do not have an extradition treaty with India. They denied India's request to extradite Mehul Choksi and cancel his passport. Choksi had fled India on January 4 this year and took the oath of allegiance in Antigua on January 15. His citizenship was cleared in November 2017. Under the Citizenship by Investment Program of Antigua and Barbuda, a person can take their passport on a minimum investment of USD 1,00,000 in the National Development Fund. Earlier, an India team led by a senior official from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on August 3 handed over a request to Antigua for the extradition of Choksi who obtained citizenship of the island nation. MEA Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar had said that as per the provisions of the Extradition Act, 1993 of Antigua and Barbuda, a fugitive may be extradited to a designated Commonwealth Country or a State with which there are general or special arrangement or a bilateral treaty. On August 3, the MEA issued a notification specifying that the provisions of India's Extradition Act, 1962 shall apply to Antigua and Barbuda with retrospective effect from 2001 when the Caribbean nation notified India as designated Commonwealth Country under the island nation's extradition law. Choksi and his companies allegedly availed credit from overseas branches of Indian banks using the fraudulent guarantees of PNB given through letters of undertaking (LoUs) and letters of credit issued by the Brady House branch which were not repaid, bringing liability on the state-run bank. He faces various charges in India in connection with the USD 2 billion Punjab National bank scam.