New Delhi
In an embarrassment to the Narendra Modi government, the Citizenship By Investment Unit of Antigua government has stated there was no adverse report presented against Mehul Choksi by India after he applied for citizenship of the Caribbean country in May 2017.

Just last week, India approached Antigua seeking action against the fugitive diamantaire after reports surfaced that Choksi had been granted citizenship by Gaston Browne government.

Choksi reportedly cited fears of “political persecution” in his application.

PM Browne in a media interview said a probe would be ordered to find out if any untrue information was provided by Choksi in his application.

“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 Mr. Mehul Chinubbhai Choksi which would render him ineligible for grant of travel facilities, including visa for Antigua and Barbuda,” said the Antiguan government organisation In a press release.

The CIU also claimed that in queries regarding two cases lodged in 2014 and 2017 by Securities and Exchange Board Of India against a corporate entity owned by Choksi, it “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”.

“None of these matters is the subject of the current warrants issued by Central Bureau of Investigations in connection with the Punjab National Bank. It was also observed that 2016 non-bailable warrant was discontinued in October 2016,” said the CIU.

The CIU claimed stringent background checks including open source internet checks were done on Choksi.

“It was only after the results of all of these checks had been received and assessed that a final decision was taken on the application. In no instance was any derogatory information disclosed on the applicant,” the Antiguan release added.

Meanwhile, the Congress lashed out against Modi government for “enabling the great escape of Choksi”.

Choksi, wanted in the mega PNB defrauding scam, obtained citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda in November last year which allows him visa free travel access to some 132 countries.

He left India in January this year. The CIU aclaimed that no information of an active warrant was shared with Interpol by Indian agencies at time of application of Antiguan citizenship by Choksi.