In a video interview to ANI, fugitive jeweller Mehul Choksi has alleged that the Punjab National Bank (PNB) misinformed the agencies in connection with the Rs 14,000 crore scam.
Giving details of the events that led to the raids on his companies, Choksi said:
“I solely make PNB responsible for misinforming the agency but more than that it is unprecedented that without deep investigation, my company came to a standstill. All my workers were jobless, we couldn’t pay last month’s salary.”
Choksi has also claimed that he retired from the company in 2000, despite which, his companies were raided, and nearly Rs 5,000- Rs 6,000 crore of his merchandise was seized.
Choksi has also said that he is certainly under media trial and if he was a fraud then why was the media chasing him for business. He also says that the media has been referring to him as “fraudster”, “fugitive”, “scamster” without using the term “alleged”. He added that he was being targeted because he was a “soft target” in a small country.
‘ED’s Allegations Against Me Are False & Baseless’
Choksi has also termed all the allegations levelled against him by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) "false and baseless".
“All the allegations levelled by the ED are false and baseless. They have attached my properties illegally without any basis.”Mehul Choksi to ANI
Speaking about the revocation of his passport, Choksi said, "The passport authorities revoked my passport altogether, in view of which I was immobilised on 16 February."
“I received an email from the passport office which said that my passport has been suspended due to reasons of [being] a security threat to India. On 20 February, I sent an email to the regional passport office requesting them to revoke the suspension of my passport. However, I did not get any reply from the regional passport office.”Mehul Choksi to ANI
He also added that no company should be “dealt” with the way he was.
Choksi further claimed that he was not given an explanation by the regional passport office as to why his passport had been suspended and how he was a security threat to India.
The questions to Choksi, an accused in the PNB scam, were asked by his lawyer in Antigua.
In an earlier interview with the Hindustan Times, Choksi called himself "victim of political persecution" and said that his "life would be in danger" if he were to return to India.
The PNB fraud accused was quoted by the daily as saying:
“Ever since I have arrived in Antigua about two months back, pressure is being mounted upon me and I am being considered as a soft or easy target because the Indian government is finding it difficult to extradite other wanted persons from other countries such as the UK [sic].”Mehul Choksi to The Hindustan Times.
‘Will Take Strict Action Against Fugitives’: Rajnath Singh
Speaking to the media hours after Mehul Choksi's video statement came out, Home Minister Rajnath Singh assured the public that the government will take strict action against fugitive economic offenders.
“Our government has formed laws – the Fugitive Economic Offender Bill – to take strict action against Fugitive Economic Offenders. I assure you that our government will take action against the fugitives, that process is underway.”Home Minister Rajnath Singh, as quoted by ANI
Meanwhile, slamming PM Modi on the issue of Mehul Choksi, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said:
“On 20 April 2018, after Choksi fled, PM Modi met the Antiguan president in UK, but he didn’t utter a word to send back Choksi. These are not my words, it has been said by the Antiguan president in an interview on 27 July. He said, ‘The Indian government never approached them on this issue.’”Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala, as quoted by ANI
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