Mehul Choksi takes up Antigua citizenship, surrenders Indian passport in Guyana

Fugitive businessman and main accused in PNB fraud case Mehul Choksi has reportedly given up his Indian citizenship. Choksi has surrendered his passport in favour of Antigua & Barbuda Isles in the West Indies.

“Mehul Choksi has surrendered his Indian passport to the High Commission in Guyana,” sources said.

The development has been confirmed by high-level sources at India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

Choksi deposited his cancelled Indian Passport No. Z3396732 and a mandatory fee of $177 for the other formalities, as per IANS news agency.

“It may be kept in mind that whenever an Indian citizen acquires foreign nationality he is expected to surrender his Indian passport,” say MEA sources.

India continues to pursue Choksi's return with the Govt of Antigua through diplomatic and legal channels, as per government sources.

Officials stated that he has given his new address as Jolly Harbour Marks, Antigua.

The MEA has maintained that Mehul Choksi could not have dual citizenship. Antigua is hearing India's case for the businessman's extradition.

Contacted by IANS in Mumbai, Choksi's lawyers declined to comment saying they were no longer in touch with him

There is no bilateral extradition treaty between India and Antigua. But the government has been trying to extradite the Choksi under a law of the island nation, which allows it to send back a fugitive to the designated Commonwealth nation.

Mehul Choksi has got the citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda in 2018. He had took the oath of allegiance on January 15, 2018. On January 29, the CBI had filed a case and started probing against Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi.

Choksi, along with his nephew Nirav Modi, are charged with conniving with certain bank officials to dupe the PNB of around Rs 13,500 crore plus by issuing fake Letters of Undertakings (LoUs) to their group companies through the PNB's flagship Brady House branch.

(with IANS inputs)