By LE Desk
New Delhi, June 15, 2021: Fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi is an Indian citizen and his application for renunciation of citizenship was rejected, Indian authorities told the Dominica High Court in their affidavit and noted that he is erroneously claiming renunciation of citizenship under the Citizenship Act, 1955.
The affidavit said that claims of the fugitive economic offender were “bogus” and Choksi’s Indian citizenship has still not ceased as on date “and his claim of renunciation of Indian citizenship is contrary to the laws in India as is completely erroneous”.
The affidavit, news agency ANI reported, said that India has already raised the issue of cancellation of citizenship of Mehul Choksi granted by the Government of Antigua and Barbuda on the grounds that citizenship was fraudulently obtained by Choksi. The affidavit was filed by consular officer at the High Commission of India to the Commonwealth of Dominica. It said Choksi is wanted by Indian law enforcement agencies for investigation of the crime committed by him in India.
“Mehul Choksi is an Indian citizen and his application for renunciation of Indian citizenship was rejected. He is erroneously claiming renunciation of the Indian Citizenship under the Citizenship Act, 1955,” the affidavit said, as reported by ANI.
The Central Bureau of Investigation, which is probing the PNB bank fraud case against Choksi, had also filed an affidavit in Dominica High Court opposing his bail petition and said he “is and remains an international fugitive who continues to evade law enforcement in India”.
The affidavit stated that Choksi was the mastermind behind a series of companies, and he and others conspired with officials of the bank to unauthorizedly raise credit by abusing the procedures. On the complaint made by the Indian government, a “red notice” has been issued against Choksi by Interpol, CBI told the Dominica Court.
The Dominica High Court had rejected his bail plea.
The 62-year-old fugitive businessman, who fled to Antigua and Barbuda, is wanted by the Indian probe agencies for allegedly cheating the Punjab National Bank of over ₹ 13000 crore, one of the largest bank fraud cases in India.