Missing fugitive Mehul Choksi traced in Dominica, arrested by police

New Delhi, May 26: Fugitive Mehul Choksi was apprehended by Dominica Police after he landed illegally in a boat from Antigua. Dominica Police Spokesperson said that Choksi has been arrested from North of Dominica and will be extradited soon back to Antigua.

"Antiguanewsroom", a local media outlet, quoted Commissioner of Police Atlee Rodney on Tuesday that the police are "following up on the whereabouts of Indian businessman Mehul Choksi", who is missing.

The media reports said Choksi, who had taken the citizenship of the Caribbean island nation of Antigua and Barbuda, was seen driving in the southern area of the island on Sunday.

Later, his vehicle was found but there was no trace of Choksi, the reports said.

Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi are wanted for allegedly siphoning off Rs 13,500 crore of public money from the state-run Punjab National Bank (PNB), using letters of undertaking.

Antigua Prime Minister Gaston Browne had also confirmed that Choksi is missing. A missing report had been been filed and the police is trying to trace him. They would also seek help from neighbouring countries.

While Modi is in a London prison after repeated denial of bail and is contesting extradition to India, Choksi had taken the citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda in 2017 using the Citizenship by Investment programme, before fleeing India in the first week of January 2018. The scam came to light subsequently.