Mehul Choksi’s problems increased! Red corner notice to be restored, CBI contacts Interpol

New Delhi. The CBI has approached the Commission for Control of Interpol Files to revive the Red Corner Notice against fugitive diamond merchant Mehul Choksi from Punjab National Bank. In the year 2018, Interpol had issued a red notice against Choksi on the request of CBI and Enforcement Directorate. In the year 2020, Choksi filed a petition against the red notice, which was rejected.

Choksi had contacted several times to remove the red corner notice
The CBI said Mehul approached different international fora with false claims, fabricated stories to scuttle the extradition proceedings and approached the CCF in July 2022 to modify its earlier decision of 2020. The CBI said that on the basis of only hypothetical conjectures and unproven conjectures, the five-member CCF chamber has taken the decision to withdraw the red notice.

CBI termed Interpol’s decision as baseless
According to a Times of India report, the CBI has raised serious lapses, procedural violations, violation of mandate and mistakes committed by the CCF in the manner in which it arrived at this baseless and reckless decision. The agency said the CCF has subsequently clarified to the CBI that its decision in no way affects the guilt or innocence of Mehul Choksi, who has been charged in India.

Also read: Interpol: Interpol removes red corner notice against Mehul Choksi, central investigative agencies will challenge the decision

A CBI spokesperson said, “The Global Operations Center of the CBI closely monitors the activities of wanted criminals like Mehul Choksi in direct coordination with foreign law enforcement agencies and is not solely dependent on Interpol channels.” Sources said Indian law enforcement had claimed that Choksi had fraudulently obtained Antiguan citizenship in November 2017, while falsely claiming that there was no criminal case pending against him.

In its talks with Antiguan authorities, the CBI has learned about the registration of detailed FIRs against Choksi in Delhi, Bangalore and Rajasthan, calling him a serial criminal. He told that these cases are related to the sale of fake diamonds by Choksi. Sources also said that he took Antiguan citizenship without surrendering Indian citizenship and fled India along with Nirav Modi on January 4, 2018. In the year 2022, five more cases were registered against him.

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Tags: CBI, Mehul Choksi