Mumbai: A special court was on Tuesday (February 11) informed that fugitive diamond trader Mehul Choksi, who is the prime accused in Punjab National Bank loan fraud case, is currently in Belgium for seeking medical treatment of suspected cancer.
The special court is hearing a plea filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) seeking to declare Choksi, who has been staying in Antigua since 2018 after leaving India, a fugitive economic offender (FEO).
Declaration of fugitive economic offender allows government to initiate proceedings against the offender to confiscate his/her properties.
Choksi, his firm Gitanjali Gems, and others allegedly committed offence of cheating against PNB
Choksi, his firm Gitanjali Gems, and others allegedly “committed the offence of cheating against PNB in connivance with certain bank officials by fraudulently getting the LoUs (letters of undertaking) issued and got the FLCs (foreign letter of credit) enhanced without following prescribed procedure”.
ED has filed three charge sheets against Choksi till now
The ED, which has filed three charge sheets against Choksi till now, earlier in 2019 told the Bombay High Court that he was a “fugitive and absconder”.
What did Choksi’s lawyer tell special court on Tuesday?
Advocate Vijay Agarwal, who appeared for the fugitive diamond trader, told the special court on Tueday that he wants to file an application before the court to bring on record certain health issues of Choksi “who is currently in Belgium for medical treatment”, news agency PTI reported.
The ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered cases against Choksi, his nephew and fugitive diamond trader Nirav Modi and their family members, employees, bank officials and others in 2018 for the alleged loan fraud of Punjab National Bank’s Brady House branch in Mumbai.
While Nirav Modi was declared fugitive economic offender in 2019, the ED’s plea against Choksi to declare him fugitive economic offender has been pending since 2018.
