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Mehul Choksi

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Mehul Choksi Patel
Born
Mehul Chinubhai Choksi

(1959-05-05) 5 May 1959 (age 65)
Bombay, India
NationalityIndian (1959–2017)
CitizenshipAntigua and Barbuda (2017–)
EducationG. D. Modi College
OccupationBusinessman
Known forAlleged bank fraud, wanted by Indian Judicial Authorities, Owner of Gitanjali Group
Criminal charges
  • Criminal conspiracy
  • Criminal breach of trust
  • Cheating and dishonesty including delivery of property
  • Corruption
  • Money laundering
Criminal statusFound and arrested in Dominica
Children3
RelativesNirav Modi (nephew)

Mehul Chinubhai Choksi (born 5 May 1959) is an Indian-born businessman living in Antigua and Barbuda, who is wanted by the Indian judicial authorities for criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, cheating and dishonesty including delivery of property, corruption and money laundering. In an interview,[1] Choksi claimed that he is innocent and all allegations against him are false, baseless and motivated by political expediency. Choksi has held Antiguan citizenship since 2017. He is the owner of Gitanjali Group, a retail jewellery company with 4,000 stores in India.[2] An arrest warrant for Choksi has been issued in connection with the alleged Punjab National Bank fraud case.[3] He was allegedly involved in stock market manipulation in 2013.[4] In late May 2021, he went missing from Antigua and Barbuda. Choksi claims that he was kidnapped from Antigua by agents of the Indian state,[5] while others stated that he fled the country.[6] After being found and arrested in Dominica under charges of illegal entry he was then returned to Antigua and Barbuda on interim bail for medical treatment.[7] In May 2022 the charge of illegal entry was dropped by the Dominican Government.[8] Investigations into his disappearance are ongoing.[9]

Early life

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Mehul Choksi was born on 5 May 1959 in Bombay,[10] the son of Chinubhai Choksi.[11] He was educated at G. D. Modi College in Palanpur, Gujarat.[11] He has three children, a son and two daughters.[10] Choksi is the maternal uncle of fugitive businessman Nirav Modi.[2][12]

His younger brother Chetan Chinubhai Choksi owned and operated a diamond company named Diminco NV, based in Antwerp, which had defaulted on a US$25.8 million payment to a subsidiary of ICICI Bank.[13] In 2013, the bank litigated a lawsuit against Diminco NV, in commercial courts in Belgium and UK.[14]

Career

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Choksi started his career in the gem and jewellery sector in 1975, and took over the leadership of Gitanjali Gems from his father in 1985, when it was focused on just rough and polished diamonds.[11] He owns Gitanjali Group, which includes Gitanjali Gems.[15]

Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case

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In March 2018, a special PMLA court issued non-bailable arrest warrants (NBWs) against Choksi, and his nephews Nirav Modi and Neeshal Deepak Modi, owner of Firestar Diamonds.[16] They are suspected of colluding with two employees of Punjab National Bank (PNB), the country's second-largest state-owned lender, in an alleged $1.8 billion fraud.[15] At least six PNB staff and at least six employees of Choksi and Modi have been arrested so far.[15] Choksi is a fugitive of Indian government. Choksi has protested his innocence in an open letter.[15] On 6 March 2018, the CBI detained Vipul Chitalia, the Vice-President of Gitanjali Group of Companies and a key aide of Choksi. Chitalia was arrested at Mumbai airport and remained in custody till March 2018.[17] A designated PMLA authority held that 41 properties worth about Rs 1,210 crore, attached by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the name of Mehul Choksi and his associated firms, are money laundering assets and ordered that their attachment should continue. The central probe agency provisionally attached 15 flats and 17 office premises in Mumbai, a mall in Kolkata, a four-acre farm house in Alibaug and 231 acres of land at locations like Nashik, Nagpur, Panvel in Maharashtra and Villupuram in Tamil Nadu, in February 2018 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in connection with the about US$2 billion alleged fraud at a Mumbai-based branch of the Punjab National Bank (PNB).[18]

On 7 January 2018, Choksi left India to the Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda. A few days later, the PNB scam was disclosed. On 15 January, he took the oath of citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda, where he applied for the citizenship in November 2017 under the country's Citizenship by Investment program.[19] However, Indian authorities argue that he has not renounced his Indian citizenship.[20][21][22] On 17 June, his lawyer informed the Bombay High Court that he left India for medical check-up and not to avoid prosecution in the case.[23] Ever since, CBI has been trying to extradite him back to India.[24] In December 2018, Interpol published a Red Notice against Choksi at India's request.[25]

Disappearance from Antigua and Barbuda

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On 23 May 2021, Choksi went missing in Antigua and Barbuda. He was last seen around 5:15 pm on 23 May before leaving his home in a car which was later recovered by the police in Jolly Harbour area.[26] A probe was launched to look for him. It was reported in some sources that he may have fled to Cuba.[27] On 26 May, he was found in a nearby Caribbean country of Dominica and was held by the local police.[19] It was reported that an attempt to flee Antigua would make the CBI's case of extraditing him to India in Antiguan courts stronger.[24] Choksi has said he was kidnapped by whom he believed to be Indian and Antiguan police and brought to Dominica by a boat, which is supported by an Antiguan Police report.[28] His lawyer also claimed that Choksi had a swollen eye and several bruises when he met Choksi.[6] Dominica brought a case against Choksi for illegal entry into the country, but this was later dropped in May 2022.[8]

On 29 May 2021, Choksi's pictures were published by Antiguan media. In the pictures, Choksi had several injuries to his left hand and the left eye was bruised and swollen.[29] Several Indian agencies were in touch with the Dominican government alleging that he was an Indian citizen and that he had an Interpol Red Notice and he should be handed over to the Indian authorities. The opposition parties United Workers' Party of Dominica and United Progressive Party of Antigua and Barbuda were allegedly utilising this opportunity to support him against his deportation to India, in return for campaign funding.[22]

In early June 2021, Choksi filed an affidavit in the High Court of Dominica claiming there was no arrest warrant against him when he left India in January 2018 to seek medical treatment in the USA. He also stated that he has no intentions of absconding from attending the court and that he doesn't intend to leave Dominica. He claimed medical issues and fear for his health in his bail petition.[30] Antiguan Information Minister Melford Nicholas stated that they moved to rescind his Antiguan citizenship on the basis that he provided false information while applying for the citizenship. Choksi has challenged this attempt to remove his citizenship in court.[20]

Interpol removed the Red Notice against Choksi in October 2022, stating that "there is credible possibility that the Applicant’s abduction from Antigua to Dominica had the ultimate purpose of deporting the Applicant to India”, which raised questions as to “the risks the Applicant would face if returned to India, in terms of receiving a fair trial or treatment”.[31] India’s Central Bureau of Investigation has stated their intention to seek to have the Red Notice against Choksi reinstated.[32]

In December 2022 the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda announced that they were working with other police forces both in the Caribbean and internationally regarding the matter of Choksi's disappearance.[9] In January 2023, Antiguan authorities announced that they had secured Interpol Red Notices against three individuals suspected of kidnapping Choksi.[33] In March 2023, Choksi won a court victory in Antigua preventing the Attorney General of Antigua and Barbuda from striking out his claim that there was a constitutional violation arising from the failure to adequately investigate his claims of being victim of inhuman treatment and torture.[34]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Major highlights of world exclusive interview of Mehul Choksi from Antigua". www.abplive.in. 11 September 2018. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
  2. ^ a b "Who is billionaire jeweller in fraud probe?". BBC News. 16 February 2018. Retrieved 4 March 2018.
  3. ^ "PNB scam: India can seek extradition of fugitive Mehul Choksi without Red Corner Notice, says CBI". www.firstpost.com. 27 August 2018. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
  4. ^ "stock-markets".
  5. ^ "Mehul Choksi | Homepage". Mehul Choksi. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
  6. ^ a b "Mehul Choksi alleges kidnapping; lawyer says he is non-Indian, can't be repatriated". Financial Express. 28 May 2021. Archived from the original on 30 May 2021. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  7. ^ "Dominican HC grants Mehul Choksi 'medical leave' to travel to Antigua". India Today. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
  8. ^ a b "Dominica withdraws case against fugitive Mehul Choksi over illegal entry". India Today. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
  9. ^ a b Simon, Samantha (26 December 2022). "Top cop adamant Choksi kidnap matter not swept under the rug". Antigua Observer Newspaper. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
  10. ^ a b "Mehul Choksi - Miner of the new world - Livemint". www.livemint.com. 16 February 2008. Retrieved 4 March 2018.
  11. ^ a b c qz.com, Suneera Tandon. "The rise and fall of Mehul Choksi's sparkling Geetanjali Gems". scroll.in. Retrieved 4 March 2018.
  12. ^ "Who is Mehul Choksi?". zeebiz.com. 16 February 2018. Retrieved 4 March 2018.
  13. ^ "Mehul Choksi's brother a bank defaulter too - Times of India". indiatimes.com. Retrieved 4 March 2018.
  14. ^ "Worldwide freezing and disclosure relief denied in aid of a Belgian claim, in an application under section 25 Civil Jurisdiction and Judgments Act 1982". The Injunctions Blog. 28 August 2014. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
  15. ^ a b c d Bhat, Swati (25 February 2018). "Mehul Choksi claims innocence in PNB fraud with open letter". livemint.com. Retrieved 4 March 2018.
  16. ^ Sahgal, Ram (3 March 2018). "PNB fraud case: Court issues non-bailable warrants against Mehul Choksi, Nirav Modi". The Economic Times. Retrieved 4 March 2018.
  17. ^ "PNB fraud: Gitanjali Group's vice-president Vipul Chitalia detained by CBI". @businessline. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
  18. ^ "Mehul Choksi's Properties Are Money Laundering Assets: PMLA Authority". Retrieved 2 September 2018.
  19. ^ a b "Fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi held in Dominica: Local media". The Indian Express. 27 May 2021. Archived from the original on 27 May 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  20. ^ a b "We moved to rescind Mehul Choksi's citizenship for 'false de declaration': Antigua minister". The Times of India. 8 June 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  21. ^ Sharma, Neeta (2 June 2021). "Mehul Choksi Has Not Renounced Citizenship, India To Argue In Dominica". NDTV. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  22. ^ a b "Hand over Mehul Choksi, he is our citizen: India tells Dominica". Business Standard. 30 May 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  23. ^ "Left India for Medical Treatment: Mehul Choksi Tells Bombay HC". Yahoo News. 17 June 2019. Archived from the original on 19 June 2019. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  24. ^ a b "Fugitive Jeweller Mehul Choksi's Dramatic Capture After Escape By Boat". NDTV. 26 May 2021. Archived from the original on 27 May 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  25. ^ "Interpol removes Red Notice against Mehul Choksi". Antigua News Room. 20 March 2023. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  26. ^ Vijay Tagore (25 May 2021). "PNB scam: Mehul Choksi goes missing in Antigua, may have fled to Cuba | Mumbai News - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  27. ^ Pandey, Manish Chandra (25 May 2021). "Mehul Choksi goes missing, may have fled Antigua and reached Cuba, local police launch probe". India Today. Archived from the original on 25 May 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  28. ^ Boffey, Daniel; Parry, Tom (6 May 2023). "Businessman who alleges Indian kidnap plot wins Antiguan court ruling". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  29. ^ "Mehul Choksi's pictures from Dominica surface, show him with injury marks". The Economic Times. 30 May 2021. Archived from the original on 30 May 2021. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  30. ^ "Left India only for medical treatment, claims fugitive Mehul Choksi in Dominica court". The Economic Times. 7 June 2021. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  31. ^ "Antiguan government and police have "case to answer" for failure to investigate abduction and torture | Doughty Street Chambers". www.doughtystreet.co.uk. 10 March 2023. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  32. ^ "Restore Red Notice against Mehul Choksi: CBI to Interpol body". The Times of India. 21 March 2023. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  33. ^ Network, Post News (20 January 2023). "Interpol issues 3 Red Corner notices against Mehul Choksi's suspected kidnappers - OrissaPOST". Odisha News, Odisha Latest news, Odisha Daily - OrissaPOST. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
  34. ^ Editorial Staff (15 March 2023). "Choksi scores high-court victory in kidnapping case". Antigua and Barbuda News !. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
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