Antigua searches for lacking fugitive jeweller from India, Choksi

Police in Antigua and Barbuda stated that they had intensified a seek for fugitive Indian-born jeweller Mehul Choksi, who went lacking on Sunday, and have requested worldwide police coordination company Interpol to subject a world alert.
Indian federal police have filed fraud prices towards Choksi, his nephew, Nirav Modi, and others in reference to their suspected involvement in fraudulent transactions that led to losses of about $2 billion for India’s Punjab National Bank (PNB).
PNB in 2018 alleged that a number of rogue staff had issued pretend financial institution ensures over a number of years to assist jewelry teams – managed by Modi and Choksi – increase funds in international credit score.
Modi and Choksi left India earlier than the fraud got here to gentle however have denied any wrongdoing and have stated in letters and statements they had been harmless.

Modi was arrested in London in 2019 and is combating extradition to India. Choksi has been dwelling within the Caribbean nation.
Investigators have interviewed a number of family and associates of Choksi for info on his “sudden disappearance” and requested regional counterparts for help, the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda stated in a press release late on Tuesday.

Choksi was final seen on Sunday night earlier than leaving residence in a automobile, which has since been recovered, the police stated, in a discover looking for info from the general public.
The police stated that they had shared Choksi’s particulars with Interpol for a “yellow notice”, a world police alert for a lacking individual, to be circulated.
Antiguan Prime Minister Gaston Browne informed Parliament there was no dependable info to verify that Choksi had left the nation, in accordance with a video posted by media outlet Antigua Newsroom.

“It is likely that he may still be here,” Browne stated, including that Choksi was combating two circumstances within the nation referring to his extradition and his citizenship.
Choksi’s members of the family are nervous and are co-operating with the investigation, his lawyer, Vijay Aggarwal, informed Reuters.