Adding a fresh twist to the citizenship row of fugitive diamond businessman Mehul Choksi, the Antigua government has said that he was given citizenship? after "stringent background checks" and clearance certificate by Mumbai Police and the Indian External Affairs Ministry.?
In a detailed statement, the citizenship authority said Choksi's application was received in May 2017 with necessary documentary requirements, including a police clearance certificate.?
"The said police clearance certificate from the government of India, Ministry of External Affairs Regional Passport Office, Mumbai, certified that there was no adverse information against Mehul Chinubbhai Choksi which would render him ineligible for grant of travel facilities including visa for Antigua and Barbuda."?
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The CIU statement, shared by Antigua Observer newspaper on its website, said these facts were being made public "in an effort to provide clarity and address misinformation that has been circulating in the public domain".?
It said Choksi's application was subjected to "stringent background checks" as is done with all applications submitted to the unit.?
These checks include open source Internet checks, Thompson Reuters World-Check, queries of various sanctions lists, engagement with regional and international intelligence agencies like Interpol as well as contracted third party due diligence providers.?
It however said that the CIU received documentation of two instances in which the SEBI, in 2014 and 2017, opened investigations on a corporate entity owned by Choksi.?
"We requested updates on the status of the investigations and received documentary confirmation, issued by the SEBI, stating that in one case, the matter had been satisfactorily closed, and indicating in the other that there is not sufficient evidence to pursue the matter further.?
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"None of these matters is the subject of the current warrants issued by the Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI) in connection with the Punjab National Bank. It was also observed that (a) 2016 non-bailable warrant (against Choksi) was discontinued in October 2016."?
Choksi had fled India in January after the PNB went public about the fraud involving him and Nirav Modi.
Earlier Antiguan government had said that they were willing to cancel the passport of Choksi if Indian authorities made a plea.