New Delhi: The Antigua citizenship of diamond trader Mehul Chokshi – wanted in India in the Rs. 13,000 crore Punjab National Bank scam – will be scrapped once he has exhausted all his legal options, the government of the island nation said on Tuesday. The revocation of citizenship will pave the way for his extradition to India to stand trial in the case.
“His citizenship was processed; he got through but the reality is his citizenship will be revoked and he will be repatriated to India; so there is recourse,” the Antigua Observerreported the nation’s Prime Minister Gaston Brown as saying.
“It is not a case that we are trying to provide any safe harbour for criminals, for those who are involved in financial crimes,” the Prime Minister said.
“We have to allow for due process. He has a matter before the court and as we said to the Indian Government, criminals have fundamental rights, too, and Choksi has a right to go to court and defend his position. But I can assure you, after he has exhausted all of his legal options, he will be extradited,” Browne said.
