India / Mehul choksi in dominica high court says left india only for treatment

New Delhi: Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam accused and diamond merchant Mehul Choksi, who is facing extradition case in Dominica, has said that he is not running away from Indian agencies and had left the country for treatment. He has also described himself as a law-respecting citizen. Inviting Indian agencies to interview him, Choksi said that he was ready to answer any question.

According to a report in the Times of India, the 62-year-old businessman filed an affidavit in the Dominica High Court saying, "I have asked the Indian authorities to interview me and ask any questions regarding any investigation." Regarding this, Mehul said, "I did not run away from Indian agencies. When I left the country to get treatment in America, there was no warrant against me.

Choksi had left the country in January 2018. Choksi had left the country days before the Rs 13,500 crore PNB scam came to light and has been living in Antigua since then. Choksi has not returned to the country even once since then. CBI and ED have registered cases against him.

Choksi, in his petition filed on June 3, has said that he had no desire to run away. He also claimed that the Red Corner Interpol notice was not an international warrant but an appeal to surrender. Choksi has filed this affidavit following the prosecution's allegation that he may be on the run. Choksi has also tried to assure the court that unless the court allows him to return to Antigua, he will go nowhere and is not inclined to run away.