Bank fraud case: Mehul Choksi claims he was ready to cooperate in probe, alleges kidnapping attempt by Indian agencies

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New Delhi: Fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi has claimed that he was 'always available for cooperation' with the agencies probing the bank fraud case against him and alleged that 'kidnapping attempt' was made by Indian agencies.

Choksi, who was given bail by the Dominica High Court to travel back to Antigua to seek medical help from a neurologist based there, told ANI that his medical condition has worsened.

Choksi said he had been ‘till now’ seriously considering returning to prove his innocence in India but his ‘medical condition is very bad’. He also said he is ‘seriously apprehensive’ about his safety in India.

Choksi arrived in Antigua and Barbuda on a private plane. He will be receiving medical treatment locally and will report to the Dominican authorities on his condition and every time he leaves his home.

"I am back home but this torture has left permanent scars on my psychology and physically, rather permanent scars on my soul. I couldn't imagine after closing all my business and seizing all my properties, kidnapping attempt would be made on me by Indian agencies," he told ANI. 

The 62-year-old fugitive is wanted in India in connection with a Rs 13,500-crore fraud in the Punjab National Bank (PNB). 

He claimed that he told probe agencies to visit Antigua to interrogate him."Many times, I told agencies to visit here to interrogate me as due to health issues, I was not able to travel anymore. 

I was always available for co-operation with the agency but this inhuman abrasion kidnapping was never expected by me," he told ANI. 

"Though till now, I have been seriously considering to return to prove my innocence in India. My medical condition is very bad and it has worsened like anything in the last from the last 50 days of my kidnapping and I am seriously apprehensive about my safety in India. Don`t know if I`ll be back in normal physical or mental state," he added.

Choksi had mysteriously gone missing on May 23 from Antigua and Barbuda where he has been staying since 2018 as a citizen. His lawyers alleged that he was abducted from Jolly Harbour in Antigua on May 23 and was brought to Dominica on a boat.

(With inputs from news agency ANI)