New Delhi:
Fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi is a "crook" and Indian officials are "free to interrogate him", said Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, on Wednesday. He added that Mehul Choksi will be extradited to India after he exhausts all his appeals in the country. Browne also said that Antigua is has no interest in having him as he adds no value to the country.
"I can assure you that he will be ultimately deported after exhausting all his appeals. He will be extradited back to India to face whatever charges against him. It is just a matter of time," Browne said.
"They can come and if they wish to interview Choksi based on his willingness to participate, it has nothing to do with my government," he added.
However, Browne said that it is "unfortunate" that Choksi was cleared by Indian officials as a person in "good standing" only to be told later that he is a "crook".
"In any case, our officials acted based on the information from India and made him a citizen... the Indian officials have to take the responsibility for that situation," he said.
Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi, who both fled the country a year ago, are key accused in the USD 2 billion PNB fraud case. Choksi was granted citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda on January 15, 2018.
On June 17, Choksi had submitted an affidavit in the Bombay High Court, stating that he is residing in Antigua and was willing to co-operate in the investigation into the PNB scam.
(With ANI Inputs)
