New Delhi [India], March 21 : The removal of Mehul Chinubhai Choksi's name from the Interpol database of Red Notices will make the fugitive diamantaire eligible to travel at will to any other country, apart from India, where he faces multiple cases, according to government sources.
The sources said that the removal of the Red Corner Notice by the global police body against Choksi will have no bearing on the Punjab National Bank scam case, which is already in an advanced stage.
Notably, Red Corner Notices are issued against fugitives and is considered as a request to law enforcement agencies across the world to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action.
The 63-year-old diamantaire is wanted in India in connection with a Rs 13,000-crore fraud in the Punjab National Bank (PNB)
On Tuesday, Choksi's lawyer Vijay Aggarwal said that the decision of Interpol to take off the Red Corner Notice (RCN) was the result of efforts of his legal team on the genuine claim of the "kidnapping" of his client Choksi.
Ultimately, truth has prevailed, the advocate said, adding, "as the kidnapping attempt of my client is not approved by the international community, RCN issued against my client by Interpol has been removed".
According to sources, the development follows after a Choksi recently filed a petition in the Antigua high court accusing the Indian government and two Indian agents of having abducted him from Antigua and forcibly taking him to the Dominican Republic in June 2021. Choksi is a citizen of Antigua and Barbuda.
CBI has refused to comment on Interpol's decision. The notice was issued against Choksiin the year 2018.
"The report from the Antiguan police, and the evidence adduced by Mr Choksi in the ongoing High Court proceedings in Antigua, point to an alarming case of state-orchestrated kidnap, torture and attempted rendition by the Indian government," as per news website, Antigua News Room which has cited a spokesperson for Choksi.
"The decision of Interpol to delete the Red Notice strengthens these concerns. Moreover, the preliminary ruling of the high court in Antigua demonstrates that there is a case to answer for a full investigation. In turn, Mr Choksi has presented a compelling case that the Indian government is behind the orchestrated kidnap from Antiguan territory, the torture of Mr Choksi, and the attempt to render him to India in breach of the international rule of law," it added.
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