Antigua Prime Minister Gaston Browne promises cooperation in Mehul Choksi fraud case

Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne said on Friday that he is willing tosupport and promised all cooperation to the Indian government if they approach the Antigua authorities on fugitive diamond jeweler Mehul Choksi's issue, reports said.

Browne said that Choksi was granted citizenship when there was no case against him and has a possibility to lose it if any false information is found.

Fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi, allegedly involved in over US $2 billion scams in Punjab National Bank, claims he had taken Antigua citizenship last year to expand his business as the passport of the Caribbean nation provides visa-free travel to 132 countries, local media in Antigua reported.

Browne said Choksi at the time of application had claimed that he left India to escape from political persecution and an investigation will have to be conducted to confirm its veracity, reports said.

He further said that the Indian government will have to go through a set process including investigations and only then would there be a possibility of revocation of his citizenship, reports said.

After it emerged that Choksi had moved to the Caribbean country in July and also taken a local passport, the CBI wrote to Antiguan authorities seeking the whereabouts of the fugitive diamantaire.

The CBI, in its communication sent to Antiguan authority, cited diffusion notice issued by the Interpol against the fugitive businessman and sought details of his movement and his present location.

Choksi and Nirav Modi fled India in January this year nearly a fortnight before the scam was detected.

Choksi's actions show that he had planned his escape and subsequent life in advance knowing that the scam would blow up after the retirement of PNB employee Gokulnath Shetty, who was allegedly helping him with the renewal of letters of undertaking, sources had said.