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Antigua agency's statement nails Modi government's lie: Congress

  •   Fri, Aug 03 2018 10:18:05 PM

New Delhi, Aug 3 (IANS): The Congress on Friday said that "complicity and connivance" of the government in the escape of jeweller Mehul Choksi, an accused in the PNB fraud, has been "exposed" after the Antigua government came clear on granting citizenship to Choksi.

The party also demanded to know why Prime Minister Narendra Modi had not raised Choksi's citizenship during a meeting with his Antiguan counterpart Gaston Browne in April this year.

"A press statement by the Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU) of Antigua Barbuda reveals how the Ministry of External Affairs and agencies like SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India), Enforcement Directorate and CBI gave Choksi a clean chit," Congress Spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala said.

Choksi had applied for Antiguan citizenship and got it in November 2017. He left India on January 4 this year.

"A complaint dated May 7, 2015 was filed with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs by one Vaibhav Khuraniya and R.M. Green Solution Pvt Ltd. A copy was also sent to the Prime Minister's Office, ED and Serious Fraud Investigation Office. A similar complaint was filed to Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mumbai," Surjewala said.

"Another person named Digvijaysinh Jadeja lodged an FIR in Ahmedabad Economic Offences Wing, Gujarat, against Mehul Choksi and others for fleecing him. The matter went to Gujarat High Court, where the state government was a party. In a special criminal application, Jadeja filed an affidavit on July 20, 2016 specifically pointing out that Choksi and others owed Rs 9,872 crore to banks and are likely to escape from India," he added.

He said a complaint dated July 26, 2016 was filed by one Hariprasad to PMO. On May 3, 2017, one Vaibhav Khuraniya also emailed the complaint to SEBI.

"Why did the MEA provide clean chit to Choksi in May 2017 despite the complaints and evidence being available two years earlier, that is, May 7, 2015, July 20, 2016 and May 3, 2017," Surjewala asked.

"Why did the PMO not act despite the complaint dated May 7, 2015 and direct any investigating agency to take action? Does it not put a question mark on the role of the PMO?" he asked.
  

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Comment on this article

  • Antonio DSilva, Kuwait

    Sun, Aug 05 2018

    There's no need of wasting one's precious time asking the PMO for explanation..............

    50% of Rs 9,872 crore is Rs 4936 crore or 25% Rs 2468 Crore.

    By the way AS should be told that this is one of their accomplishments for India and Indians.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • PenMightierThanTheSWord!, Mangalore

    Sat, Aug 04 2018

    Fact remains that the Government of India should have notified Interpol of this fugitive and should not have provided a police clearance certificate as was issued by Ministry of External Affairs Regional Passport Office, Mumbai certifying 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! Why did Fakendra Modi and Amit Shah allow this to happen is anyone's guess, but blind chaddi bhakts cannot digest such facts and will say the loan was give by Nehru!

    DisAgree Agree [4] Reply Report Abuse

  • Vincent Rodrigues, Bengaluru/Katapadi

    Sat, Aug 04 2018

    The people who are in the helm of affairs and who are responsible for this lapse to be fixed with the accountability

    DisAgree Agree [3] Reply Report Abuse

  • mahesh, mangalore

    Sat, Aug 04 2018

    Sikulars can jump up as much as they want.
    Nothing will stick to the govt though.

    DisAgree [3] Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • mahesh, mangalore

    Sat, Aug 04 2018

    How can Congress be so stupid?
    The scam came up to light only in 2018.

    DisAgree [5] Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • PenMightierThanTheSWord!, Mangalore

    Sat, Aug 04 2018

    mahesh, mangalore — FYI, on July 29, 2016, Bengaluru resident Hari Prasad had informed the Prime Minister's Office about alleged nefarious activities of Choksi and his companies! The Finance Ministry acknowledged in the Rajya Sabhahat the PMO was "intimated" about the complaints regarding the PNB fraud in 2016. Further, "Ministry of Finance, vide Office Memorandum dated 1.3.2018, apprised PMO of action taken regarding the fraudulent issuance of Letters of Undertaking in PNB."
    Choksi had fled India on January 4 this year and took oath oath of allegiance in Antigua on January 15!!!

    DisAgree Agree [4] Reply Report Abuse

  • Rathan, Mangalore

    Sat, Aug 04 2018

    How come this surjewala believes statement given by foreign agency (Other country), where as if doesn't suit their thinking the BLAME MODI for issuing any statement by IMF or World Bank.
    Here also Sebi clearly stated that either they have issued any clearance for choksi nor the Govt agency of Antigua has approached them for any ckearence
    But this good for nothing spokesperson wants to believe what other country issues a d not from his own Govt avency
    This clearly shows the slave mentity of chaddess

    DisAgree [8] Agree [2] Reply Report Abuse

  • Mangalurian, Mangaluru

    Sat, Aug 04 2018

    The foreign governments do not have approach every one of India's 1000s of institutions.

    When they need clearance, as per official protocol, they approach police from the city/state of the applicant, and the External Affairs Ministry.

    So, naturally, SEBI is right in whatever they have stated. But the question is, how come the External Affairs Ministry gave the clearance when the man (with family members) had borrowed over 10,000 crores of poor people's money?

    DisAgree [1] Agree [5] Reply Report Abuse

  • geoffrey, hat hill

    Sat, Aug 04 2018

    Feku's office (PMO) was officially alerted about Nirav Modi cum Mehul Bhai's joint venture scam in writing in July 2016 and it was duly acknowledged by PMO. In spite of knowing all this, both NiMo and Mehul were allowed to flee, were given clearance to obtain citizenship of foreign countries and NiMo posed for a photograph with NaMo which NaMo justifies saying he is free to take pictures with elite industrialist. And for bhakths like you, all that doesn't matter so long as your SENSEX rides 37k+.

    DisAgree Agree [3] Reply Report Abuse

  • sri_elder, Karkala

    Sat, Aug 04 2018

    Loans were granted during 2007-2013 time...
    That was biggest scam of millennium...
    Worlds most eligible economists involved in the scam

    DisAgree [13] Agree [3] Reply Report Abuse

  • mohan, Mangalore

    Sat, Aug 04 2018

    Choksi and nirav from Gujarat take help of modi to get loan while he is chief minister of gujju.. .. and it is planned loan..... modi arranged every thing from start to get citizen ship of other nation....... even modi met nirav at US....
    IT is clear indication modi us behind this loan fraud...

    DisAgree [2] Agree [12] Reply Report Abuse

  • Truth Teller, Karnataka

    Sat, Aug 04 2018

    But fraud was reported to PMO in 2017!!!. What did they do!?. Nothing!!!. Loan can be given to anyone! Important is when fraud happens and it's reported, you do nothing!! But grant a NOC for him to take citizenship of Antigua!!!. I also have 50 lakh loan!!!. If I do wrong in 2022, and I am reported to PMO! And PMO takes no action, whom will you blame!?. Modi government!? Which is in power now!!!!???

    DisAgree [2] Agree [4] Reply Report Abuse

  • Truth Teller, Karnataka

    Sat, Aug 04 2018

    It's strange the this government is continously lying to the people and then blaming Nehru!!!. They have NOC to Mehul Choksi in 2017 and that after the PMO was alerted about the frauds of him!!!. Why they are doing nataka now of bringing him back after helping him to get citizenship of Antigua!?. Bakhts what you have to say!?

    DisAgree [1] Agree [8] Reply Report Abuse

  • Mangalurian, Mangaluru

    Sat, Aug 04 2018

    What is absolutely amazing is that a Gujju-bhai and his relatives borrow stupendous amounts of money from public sector banks, and then they become foreign citizens.

    People in power help these fraudsters to borrow money. And they also help them to become foreign citizens!

    And those same people in power send CBI teams to investigate opposition politicians on politically motivated suspicion of 10 crores corruption.

    The Gujarat model of development has many dimensions.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [10] Reply Report Abuse

  • geoffrey, hat hill

    Sat, Aug 04 2018

    Well, the collusion of top leadership with these crooks is an open secret, even the die hard bhakths are also not unoblivious to it, the problem is all are living in a fools' paradise.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [5] Reply Report Abuse

  • SMR, Karkala

    Sat, Aug 04 2018

    Antigua has asserted that Indian fugitive billionaire Mehul Choksi was granted citizenship only after getting documents from Indian authorities without any adverse remarks, including a police clearance certificate from the Ministry of External Affairs.

    Choksi had acquired a passport under Antigua and Barbuda’s Citizenship by Investment (CIU) scheme, which requires the applicant to make a “a significant economic contribution to the Country”. The five-year-long passport allows the holder to have visa-free travel to 132 countries.

    In a press release, CIU said on Thursday that Choksi’s application submitted in May 2017 had all the necessary documents, including a police clearance certificate issued by the Ministry of External Affairs.
    Mehul Choksi escaped India in the first week of January and took the oath of allegiance in Antigua on January 15.

    The scam blew up when Punjab National Bank disclosed in regulatory filings in February 2018 that it had detected fraudulent transactions worth $1.17 billion at one of its branches.

    CBI accused diamantaire Nirav Modi, his brother Nishal, wife Ami and uncle Mehul Choksi of entering into a criminal conspiracy with officials.

    1. Why Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not raise the issue when he met his Antiguan counterpart Gaston Browne in April 2018?
    2. Why did the CBI/ED not move the Interpol for a warrant against Mehul Choksi or provide the requisite evidence of criminal fruad against him?
    3. Is it not correct that this deliberate failure on part of of CBI/ED in providing evidence to Interpol, led to Interpol giving clean chit to choksi?
    4. Why No Red Corner Notice Against Mehul Choksi? CBI Has No Answer.

    Loot and make them scoot is the prime policy of the the Modi government. Modi government enabled the "great escape" .
    Jai Hind

    DisAgree [1] Agree [5] Reply Report Abuse

  • prem, moodbidri

    Sat, Aug 04 2018

    FEKU knew very well.. such day will come and he will be exposed. So, he admitted well in advance - "I am with elite / rich group"!

    DisAgree [1] Agree [4] Reply Report Abuse

  • mahesh, Mangalore

    Sat, Aug 04 2018

    Sebi statement today
    While the Antiguan authority responsible for grant of investment-linked citizenship named the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) as one of the Indian agencies to have given such a clearance in case of Choksi, the Indian capital markets regulator rejected the claim saying it neither received any such request, nor provided any such information to the department concerned in Antigua.

    DisAgree Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jossey Saldanha, Mumbai

    Fri, Aug 03 2018

    Modi should not have given a clean chit to his friend "Mehul Bhai" ...

    DisAgree [2] Agree [5] Reply Report Abuse

  • NITIN, karkala

    Fri, Aug 03 2018

    MODI made his business partners flee with indians hard earned money and we middle class indians stood on ATM line and Bank line whole one month to get our hard earned money to get it exchange with new notes. so many poor people lost life standing on que during demonetization.

    MODI made us fool.

    MODI should be held accountable for his disaster decision and should step down from the PM post

    DisAgree [2] Agree [4] Reply Report Abuse


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Title: Antigua agency's statement nails Modi government's lie: Congress



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