CBI seeks restoration of Red Notice against Mehul Choksi

The CBI has asked the Commission for Control of Interpol's Files (CCF) for restoration of Red Notice against fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi who is wanted in Rs 13,000 crore bank fraud in Punjab National Bank, agency said in a statement.

The Interpol had opened a Red Notice against Choksi in 2018 on a request from the CBI and Enforcement Directorate.

His appeals against the decision were rejected in 2020. In 2022, nearly a year after his alleged abduction attempt, he approached the CCF, a separate body within Interpol that is not under the control of INTERPOL Secretariat and is mainly staffed by elected lawyers from different countries "to revise its earlier decision of 2020", the agency said.

"...based on mere imaginary conjunctures and unproven surmises, a five member CCF chamber, has taken a decision on deletion of Red Notice, communicated in November, 2022," the agency said.

It said CCF has subsequently clarified to CBI that its decision in no manner has any determination on any guilt or innocence of Mehul Chinubhai Choksi for crimes he remains charged in India.

"CCF has reiterated that it has not established factual certainties and there is no factual finding in their decision that Mehul Chinubhai Choksi will not have fair trial. Based on new information and serious errors in the decision, CBI is taking steps for the decision of CCF to be revised," it said.

The agency said CBI has taken up with CCF the "serious shortcomings, procedural violations, over reach of mandate and mistakes committed by CCF" in the manner of reaching this unfounded and perfunctory decision.

"CBI continues to exercise available remedial and appellate options within Interpol for rectification of this faulty decision and for restoration of Red Notice," it said.

The CBI reiterated that India's request to extradite Mehul Choksi continues to be under 'active consideration' of the Antigua and Barbuda authorities.