MUMBAI: Fugitive diamond trader Mehul Choksi is currently in Belgium for treatment for suspected cancer, his counsel informed a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court on Tuesday.
Advocate Vijay Agarwal told the special court that Choksi, a prime accused in the alleged fraud of ₹13,850 crore at state-run Punjab National Bank (PNB), that he wanted to file an application to bring on record certain health issues of Choksi and said he is in Belgium for medical treatment for suspected cancer.
JOIN THE ABN WHATSAPP GROUP
FOLLOW THE ABN WHATSAPP CHANNEL
The oral submissions were made before the court, which was hearing the Enforcement Directorate’s plea to declare Choksi as a Fugitive Economic Offender.
Till now, Choksi was believed to be in Antigua and Barbuda after departing India in January 2018, shortly before the scam was discovered and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered FIRs. India had sought Choksi’s extradition from Antigua and Barbuda, which he has contested in local courts.
In December last year, the special court had refused to drop the proceedings initiated by the ED to declare Choksi a fugitive economic offender (FEO). Choksi, in his plea filed in September, claimed that the grounds mentioned by the ED to declare him an FEO did not exist, contending that the agency kept changing its stance. Choksi’s advocate Rahul Aggarwal claimed that the ED initially submitted that Choksy fled the country anticipating arrest after disposing of his properties. However, the agency later submitted that Choksy had obtained the citizenship and passport of Antigua and Barbuda in 2017, as he was planning to leave India.
In September 2024, Agarwal had submitted that Choksy left India in January 2018 for his medical treatment and the case was registered against him in February 2018. Since his Indian passport was suspended by the passport authority, he could not return to India to participate in the investigation, Agrawal had submitted at the time.
ED’s investigation has revealed that Choksi allegedly conspired with associates and PNB officials between 2014 and 2017 to fraudulently obtain Letters of Undertaking and Foreign Letters of Credit, subsequently defaulting and causing a loss of ₹6,097.63 crores to the public-sector bank. Choksi had also allegedly defaulted on a loan from ICICI Bank.
JOIN THE ABN WHATSAPP GROUP
FOLLOW THE ABN WHATSAPP CHANNEL
Choksi’s nephew, fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi, a principal co-accused in the PNB scam, also departed India in January 2018 before the scam’s discovery. Based on ED intelligence, Modi was apprehended in London in March 2019, where extradition proceedings are ongoing. — Hindustan Times
CLICK HERE TO GET ON THE ABN WHATSAPP
Аre you a business owner? Antigua Breaking News оffеrs fullу сuѕtоmіzаblе аnd flехіblе dіgіtаl mаrkеtіng расkаgеѕ. Yоur соntеnt іѕ dеlіvеrеd іnѕtаntlу tо thоuѕаndѕ оf uѕеrѕ іn Antigua аnd аbrоаd.
———————————————————————
CLICK HERE TO GET ON THE ABN WHATSAPP
CLICK HERE TO GET ON THE ABN WHATSAPP
CLICK HERE TO GET ON THE ABN WHATSAPP
CLICK HERE TO GET ON THE ABN WHATSAPP
CLICK HERE TO GET ON THE ABN WHATSAPP
CLICK HERE TO GET ON THE ABN WHATSAPP
Follow Antigua Breaking News on X, formerly Twitter @ABNAntigua and on Facebook. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-268-779-3189 or email us at antiguabreakingnews@gmail.com
The post Mehul Choksi in Belgium for suspected cancer treatment: Lawyer to court appeared first on Antigua Breaking News.
