Mehul Choksi trying to set up new firm in UK

New Delhi: Seeking to corner the Centre over the extradition of fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi,  Congress on Sunday soug-ht to know from the NDA regime as to why it was looking for him in Antigua when he has given the principal address of his newly registered company as being located in the UAE.

The Congress claimed that the fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi has applied for registration of a new company in the United Kingdom and asked the Narendra Modi government how serious were its efforts for his extradition.

Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera asked whether the Modi government knew about Choksi’s move.

The Congress sought to know as to why was the government seeking Choksi’s extradition from Antigua with whom New Delhi does not have an extradition treaty.

Mr Khera also alleged that a “powerful person”, who benefited from Choksi, was protecting him.

The fugitive businessman has taken citizenship of the Caribbean nation. Mr Khera wondered why the Centre was not pursuing his extradition from the UAE withwhom India has an extradition treaty in place. He also released purported documents in support of his claim. Claiming that the Modi dispensation was facing an imminent defeat in the comingparliamentary election, the Congress leader said the government must tell the people if it knew about Choksi's move. “Also, if agencies like CBI and Enforcement Directorate (ED) made any effort to extradite him,” he told a press conference.