Mehul Choksi surrenders Indian citizenship in favour of Antigua and Barbuda

Georgetown: Mehul Choksi, accused in PNB fraud case,  has surrendered his passport to the Indian High Commission in Guyana.Wanted diamond trader Mehul Choksi has surrendered his Indian passport, sources confirmed on Monday.

The confirmation came a year after Mr Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi left India, just before the major financial scam involving the duo and the Punjab National Bank (PNB) came to light. Mr Choksi was subsequently located in the Caribbean island of Antigua.

"Mehul Choksi has surrendered his Indian passport to the High Commission in Guyana. It may be kept in mind that whenever an Indian citizen acquires foreign nationality, he is expected to surrender his Indian passport," said the source.

Mr Choksi has refused to return so far despite a major controversy that erupted in Antigua following the discovery that the authorities had granted citizenship to a fugitive from India, under an 'investment criterion' that allows businessmen to avail citizenship of the island in exchange for investments.

This is also the first prominent incident after the government brought in Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill. Officials are however, yet to clarify if Mr Choksi personally came to surrender the passport at Guyana or sent it by mail.(UNI)