TIL Desk/Business/Mumbai/ Fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi, allegedly involved in an over USD 2 billion scam in Punjab National Bank, claims he had taken Antigua citizenship last year to expand his business as the passport of the Caribbean nation provides visa-free travel to 132 countries, local media in Antigua reported.
In a statement issued by his attorney David Dorsett on the diamantaire’s behalf, Choksi said there was no truth in the allegations levelled by the Indian government a newspaper in Antigua, reported.
Choksi who was allegedly the partner-in-crime of his nephew Nirav Modi in the banking fraud refused to say anything further on the issue, on the advice of his lawyers.
“I can however state that I lawfully applied to be registered as a citizen of Antigua and Barbuda under the Citizenship by Investment Program. During the course of my application I did all that was lawfully required of me to do. My application for citizenship was in due course approved,” the statement published in the newspaper said.
