Mehul Choksi could be extradited after exhausting all legal options: Antigua PM Gaston Browne

Antigua/New Delhi: Absconding diamond merchant Mehul Choksi's citizenship of Antigua may be revoked by the Caribbean country and he could be extradited to India after he exhausts all legal options, Prime Minister Gaston Browne was quoted as saying by a media report.

Choksi, 60, had taken nationality of Antigua and Barbuda in November 2017 using Citizenship by Investment Program (CIP) of the twin island nation.

He fled India in the first week of January last year, days before scam worth Rs 13,400 crore was detected and reported by state-run Punjab National Bank (PNB).

Choksi, promoter of Gitanjali Gems, and his nephew Nirav Modi, who is currently in a London jail, are wanted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the CBI for allegedly masterminding the biggest banking fraud of India.

Prime Minister Browne said the citizenship of the billionaire diamond trader will be revoked by the Caribbean country after he exhausts all his legal options.

"We have to allow for due process. He has a matter before the court and as we said to the Indian Government, criminals have fundamental rights, too, and Choksi has a right to go to court and defend his position.

But I can assure you, after he has exhausted all of his legal options, he will be extradited," he said.