Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne, in an interview with news agency ANI, said that fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi will be repatriated to India and Indian authorities are in touch with those in Dominica.

Fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Dominica on Tuesday night (local time). According to reports, he was trying to flee to Cuba. He was taken into custody after Interpol Yellow Notice was issued by Antigua and Barbuda. Browne said they have decided to not accept him back and Dominica has agreed for Choksi’s repatriation.

Also read: All about the PNB fraud case, for which Mehul Choksi is wanted in India

Talking to ANI, the PM said that they have requested the Dominican government to detain him and to make arrangements to return him to Indian authorities.

Choksi, who fled India in 2018, is wanted by CBI in Rs 13,500 crore PNB scam on charges of fraud. 

Also read: Who is Mehul Choksi, fugitive diamantaire wanted in PNB fraud case

The fugitive diamantaire went missing on Sunday from Antigua and a manhunt was launched by the Antigua police.

Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister told ANI that he tried to enter Dominica illegally, possibly by boats. 

Indian and Antiguan authorities are in contact with Dominican government. The Antiguan PM said that he asked the Dominican government to charge him for entering their country illegally and have him deported directly to India.

Choksi’s Nirav Modi is also wanted in the Punjab National Bank fraud. 

In 2018, PNB filed a complaint, alleging that two junior employees of its Mumbai’s Brady House branch, along with Modi and Choksi’s companies, issued fraudulent “letters of undertaking”. The fraudulent LoUs were reported to be worth Rs 2.8 billion at first but within three months, the scam ballooned to over Rs 11,000 crore.