Mehul Choksi surrenders..No, not on the case.. but his Indian citizenship!

NewsBharati    21-Jan-2019
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New Delhi, January 21: Key architect of Rs 14000 crores PNB scam, Mehul Choksi has given up his Indian citizenship and surrendered his passport to Antigua. Passport number Z 3396732 has been deposited with cancelled pages. He has also deposited the mandatory $177 dollar for leaving Indian citizenship to become a citizen of Antigua.

 
Choksi is looking to avoid getting extradited to India by taking Antiguan citizenship. There is a hearing in this issue scheduled for February 22 in Antigua. India and Antigua however, do not have a bilateral extradition pact but the government has been trying to bring back the diamond billionaire from Antigua under a law of the island nation that allows it to send back a fugitive to a designated Commonwealth country, reported the statement.
 
Amit Narang, Joint Secretary, in the Ministry of External Affairs has informed the authorities back home about this development, which comes as a blow to the central government. In the form he has filled regarding relinquishing of Indian citizenship, Choksi has given Jolly Harbour in Antigua as his new residence. The absconding business has informed the authorities that he has taken Antiguan citizenship and hence as per rules is looking to relinquish Indian passport.
 
Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi, in connivance with certain bank officials, allegedly cheated PNB of about Rs 14,000 crore through issuance of fraudulent letters of undertaking. A Mumbai branch of PNB had fraudulently issued LoUs for the group of companies belonging to Modi since March 2011.
 
The total number of LoUs issued to the companies of Nirav Modi, his relatives and the Nirav Modi Group are 1,213, and to Mehul Choksi, his relatives and the Gitanjali Group are 377. The CBI has already filed chargesheet in this case. The chargesheet has mentioned names of many employees and top management, including former MD and EDs of the bank.