Mehul Choksi A Crook, Will Be Deported After All Legal Options Exhausted: Antigua PM 

New York: Fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi is a 'crook' and does not add any value to our country, said Antigua Prime Minister Gaston Browne on Wednesday. He also added that Indian officials have a free hand to interrogate him.

"Got subsequent information that Mehul Choksi is a crook, he does not add value to our country. He will be deported ultimately after he exhausts appeals. Indian officials are free to investigate based on his willingness to participate," Browne was quoted saying by a leading agency.

The PM was also quoted saying that the citizenship of the billionaire diamond trader will be revoked by the Caribbean country after he exhausts all his legal options.

"His citizenship was processed; he got through but the reality is his citizenship will be revoked and he will be repatriated to India; so there is recourse. It's not a case that we are trying to provide any safe harbour for criminals, for those who are involved in financial crimes," Prime Minister Browne was quoted as saying by the Antigua Observer on Monday.

"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.

In the Rs 13,500 PNB fraud case, main accused Nirav Modi, who is currently in a London jail, and his uncle Mehul Choksi have fled the country a year ago. On January 15, last year, Choksi (60) was granted citizenship of Caribbean nation of Antigua.

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