Air ambulance for Choksi ready: Enforcement Directorate

Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) offered to provide an air ambulance and a team of medical experts to bring back fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi from Antigua and provide him with all necessary treatment in India. The statement is made in a counter affidavit in a rejoinder filed by ED, after Choksi had filed his affidavit in the Bombay high court on June 17.

Choksi had stated that he was willing to co-operate in the investigation but refused to travel to India due to bad health and said that he was willing to appear before a special court and investigating agencies through video conferencing.

“The medical reasons and conditions appear to be false to mislead the court in an obvious attempt to delay the lawful proceedings. We are ready to provide an expert medical team along with an AIR ambulance to bring him from Antigua to India under medical supervision,” said ED in a counter affidavit

The central agency further stated that Choksi has never cooperated in the investigation into the multi crore PNB scam.

The agency also informed that Choksi claims that his assets worth '6129 crore have been seized, it is wrong because during probe ED has attached assets worth '2,100 crore.

Choksi has told the Bombay high court that he left India for medical check-up and not to avoid prosecution in the case.

“I have not left the country under suspicious circumstances,” he said in an affidavit filed in the court.

The ED also maintained that the fugitive diamantaire, Choksi was trying to sell all his assets before fleeing from India. "Choksi never cooperated in the investigation. A non-bailable warrant was issued against him. The Interpol issued a Red Corner notice against him. He has refused to return, he is, therefore, a fugitive and an absconder," the ED stated.

The law enforcement agency in its rejoinder has said that Choksi was given several opportunities to join the probe but he evaded questioning.

The maternal uncle of Nirav Modi, the main accused in the PNB fraud, has claimed he is undergoing treatment in the Caribbean island nation of Antigua and Barbuda. He has been living in the country since 2018 after fleeing from India. He acquired its citizenship a month before the CBI unearthed the PNB scam in January 2018.