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Mehul Choksi

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Mehul Choksi
Born
Mehul Chinubhai Choksi

(1959-05-05) 5 May 1959 (age 65)
Bombay, India
NationalityIndian (1959–2017)
CitizenshipAntigua and Barbuda (2017–)
EducationG. D. Modi College
OccupationBusinessman
Known forAlleged bank fraud, wanted by Indian Judicial Authorities, Owner of Gitanjali Group
Criminal charges
  • Criminal conspiracy
  • Criminal breach of trust
  • Cheating and dishonesty including delivery of property
  • Corruption
  • Money laundering
Criminal statusFound and arrested in Dominica in May 2021
Arrested by Belgian authorities in April 2025
Children3
RelativesNirav Modi (nephew)

Mehul Chinubhai Choksi (born 5 May 1959) is an Indian-born fugitive[1] and businessman living in Antigua and Barbuda,[2] who is wanted by the Indian judicial authorities for alleged criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, cheating and dishonesty including delivery of property, corruption and money laundering.[3]

Mehul Choksi along with his nephew Nirav Modi, his wife Ami Modi, brother Neeshal Modi are named in an alleged Rs 12,636 crore fraud at Punjab National Bank.[4] In order to escape India after scam, he secured the citizenship in Antigua and Barbuda, a Caribbean Island through their Citizenship by Investment Program in 2017.[5] 

He was the owner of Gitanjali Group, a retail jewellery company with 4,000 stores in India.[6]

An arrest warrant for Choksi has been issued in connection with the alleged Punjab National Bank fraud case.[7] He was formerly the subject of an Interpol red notice, but this was withdrawn in 2023.[8] He was allegedly involved in stock market manipulation in 2013.[9] In late May 2021, he went missing from Antigua and Barbuda. Choksi claims that he was kidnapped from Antigua by agents of the Indian state,[10] while several reports and investigation revealed that he fled the country to escape legal proceedings in India.[11] After being found and arrested in Dominica under charges of illegal entry he was then returned to Antigua and Barbuda on interim bail for medical treatment. Investigations into his disappearance are ongoing.[12]

According to NDTV,[13] Mehul Choksi tried hard to spread his kidnapping narrative and evade the extradition to India. In this attempt, he also allegedly brought a string of officials in Antigua to extend the court proceedings in his disappearance case in the country.[14]

Again according to NDTV,[15] evidence has also been uncovered that with others to influence Interpol and interfere into its proceedings to delay his extradition to India.[16] Belgian authorities confirmed on April 14, 2025 that they have Mehul Choksi in custody after he was arrested near his current residence in Antwerp.[17]

Early life

Mehul Choksi was born on 5 May 1959 in Bombay,[18] the son of Chinubhai Choksi.[19] He was educated at G. D. Modi College in Palanpur, Gujarat.[19] He has three children, a son and two daughters.[18] Choksi is the maternal uncle of fugitive businessman Nirav Modi.[20][21]

His younger brother Chetan Chinubhai Choksi owned and operated a diamond company named Diminco NV, based in Antwerp, which had defaulted on a US$25.8 million payment to a subsidiary of ICICI Bank.[22] In 2013, the bank litigated a lawsuit against Diminco NV, in commercial courts in Belgium and UK.[23]

Career

Choksi started his career in the gem and jewellery sector in 1975, and took over the leadership of Gitanjali Gems from his father in 1985, when it was focused on just rough and polished diamonds.[19] He owns Gitanjali Group, which includes Gitanjali Gems.[24]

Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case

In March 2018, a special PMLA court issued non-bailable arrest warrants (NBWs) against Choksi, and his nephews Nirav Modi and Neeshal Deepak Modi, owner of Firestar Diamonds.[25] They are suspected of colluding with two employees of Punjab National Bank (PNB), the country's second-largest state-owned lender, in an alleged $1.8 billion fraud.[24] At least six PNB staff and at least six employees of Choksi and Modi have been arrested so far.[24] Choksi is a fugitive of Indian government. Choksi has protested his innocence in an open letter.[24] On 6 March 2018, the CBI detained Vipul Chitalia, the Vice-President of Gitanjali Group of Companies and a key aide of Choksi. Chitalia was arrested at Mumbai airport and remained in custody till March 2018.[26] A designated PMLA authority held that 41 properties worth about Rs 1,210 crore, attached by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the name of Mehul Choksi and his associated firms, are money laundering assets and ordered that their attachment should continue. The central probe agency provisionally attached 15 flats and 17 office premises in Mumbai, a mall in Kolkata, a four-acre farm house in Alibaug and 231 acres of land at locations like Nashik, Nagpur, Panvel in Maharashtra and Villupuram in Tamil Nadu, in February 2018 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in connection with the about US$2 billion alleged fraud at a Mumbai-based branch of the Punjab National Bank (PNB).[27]

On 7 January 2018, Choksi left India to the Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda. A few days later, the PNB scam was disclosed. On 15 January, he took the oath of citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda, where he applied for the citizenship in November 2017 under the country's Citizenship by Investment program.[28] However, Indian authorities argue that he has not renounced his Indian citizenship.[29][30][31] On 17 June, his lawyer informed the Bombay High Court that he left India for medical check-up and not to avoid prosecution in the case.[32] Ever since, CBI has been trying to extradite him back to India.[33] In December 2018, Interpol published a Red Notice against Choksi at India's request.[34]

See also

References

  1. ^ "ED transfers assets of Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi worth ₹8,441.50 cr. to banks". The Hindu. 23 June 2021. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  2. ^ "Mehul Choksi devised plan to run out of India long back: ED". The Indian Express. 19 September 2024. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  3. ^ "Major highlights of world exclusive interview of Mehul Choksi from Antigua". news.abplive.com. 11 September 2018. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  4. ^ "PNB scam: India can seek extradition of fugitive Mehul Choksi without Red Corner Notice, says CBI". Firstpost. 27 August 2018. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  5. ^ "Gitanjali Gems chief Mehul Choksi, Prime Securities among 26 barred from stock markets". Moneylife NEWS & VIEWS. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  6. ^ "Mehul Choksi alleges kidnapping; lawyer says he is non-Indian, can't be repatriated". Financialexpress. 28 May 2021. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  7. ^ "Dominican HC grants Mehul Choksi 'medical leave' to travel to Antigua". India Today. 12 July 2021. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  8. ^ "Mehul Choksi taken off Interpol's Red Notice list. What does this mean?". Livemint. 21 March 2023. Retrieved 28 March 2025.
  9. ^ "PNB fraud case: ED to file chargesheet against Mehul Choksi's wife Priti". India Today. 11 June 2021. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  10. ^ "Dominica withdraws case against fugitive Mehul Choksi over illegal entry". India Today. 20 May 2022. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  11. ^ "Fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi arrested in Dominica". India Today. 26 May 2021. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  12. ^ "PNB fraud case: New warrant issued against Mehul Choksi". The Indian Express. 19 June 2021. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  13. ^ "Mehul Choksi Bribed Antigua Cop, Judge To Delay His Extradition: Report". NDTV.com. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  14. ^ Indulia, Bhumika (9 December 2019). "PNB Scam | Nirav Modi declared Fugitive Economic Offender by a Special PMLA Court". SCC Times. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  15. ^ "Mehul Choksi Bribed Antigua Cop, Judge To Delay His Extradition: Report". NDTV.com. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  16. ^ Deshpande, Alok (20 October 2020). "PNB hasn't recovered any money from Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi: RTI reply". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  17. ^ Pandey, Suhasini Haidar & Devesh K. (14 April 2025). "Mehul Choksi arrest: Belgium authorities confirm India's extradition request". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
  18. ^ a b "Mehul Choksi - Miner of the new world - Livemint". www.livemint.com. 16 February 2008. Retrieved 4 March 2018.
  19. ^ a b c Suneera Tandon, Suneera Tandon. "The rise and fall of Mehul Choksi's sparkling Geetanjali Gems". scroll.in. Retrieved 4 March 2018.
  20. ^ "Who is billionaire jeweller in fraud probe?". BBC News. 16 February 2018. Retrieved 4 March 2018.
  21. ^ "Who is Mehul Choksi?". zeebiz.com. 16 February 2018. Retrieved 4 March 2018.
  22. ^ "Mehul Choksi's brother a bank defaulter too - Times of India". indiatimes.com. Retrieved 4 March 2018.
  23. ^ "Worldwide freezing and disclosure relief denied in aid of a Belgian claim, in an application under section 25 Civil Jurisdiction and Judgments Act 1982". The Injunctions Blog. 28 August 2014. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
  24. ^ a b c d Bhat, Swati (25 February 2018). "Mehul Choksi claims innocence in PNB fraud with open letter". livemint.com. Retrieved 4 March 2018.
  25. ^ Sahgal, Ram (3 March 2018). "PNB fraud case: Court issues non-bailable warrants against Mehul Choksi, Nirav Modi". The Economic Times. Retrieved 4 March 2018.
  26. ^ "PNB fraud: Gitanjali Group's vice-president Vipul Chitalia detained by CBI". @businessline. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
  27. ^ "Mehul Choksi's Properties Are Money Laundering Assets: PMLA Authority". Retrieved 2 September 2018.
  28. ^ "Fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi held in Dominica: Local media". The Indian Express. 27 May 2021. Archived from the original on 27 May 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  29. ^ "We moved to rescind Mehul Choksi's citizenship for 'false de declaration': Antigua minister". The Times of India. 8 June 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  30. ^ Sharma, Neeta (2 June 2021). "Mehul Choksi Has Not Renounced Citizenship, India To Argue In Dominica". NDTV. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  31. ^ "Hand over Mehul Choksi, he is our citizen: India tells Dominica". Business Standard. 30 May 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  32. ^ "Left India for Medical Treatment: Mehul Choksi Tells Bombay HC". Yahoo News. 17 June 2019. Archived from the original on 19 June 2019. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  33. ^ "Fugitive Jeweller Mehul Choksi's Dramatic Capture After Escape By Boat". NDTV. 26 May 2021. Archived from the original on 27 May 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  34. ^ "Interpol removes Red Notice against Mehul Choksi". Antigua News Room. 20 March 2023. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
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