Mehul Choksi's name removed from Interpol Red Notice List

Interpol has removed the name of India's fugitive diamond merchant Mehul Choksi from the red notice list. Mehul appealed against the red corner notice to Interpol's Lyon headquarters. According to sources, the CBI may challenge the decision to remove the red corner. Choksi is accused of the Rs 14,000 crore scam in Punjab National Bank and is currently absconding.
On Tuesday, a statement was issued by the CBI on the Mehul Choksi case. The investigating agency said – Interpol's decision is not correct. Whatever steps can be taken to reissue the red notice will be taken. The Antiguan authorities also agreed that there was sufficient evidence against the applicant (Mehul Choksi). Antigua had also accepted that Choksi presented the wrong facts to get citizenship there. This means that Choksi committed the crime earlier also.
The CBI issued a press note saying that there is no need for an Interpol red notice for extradition (bringing to India) proceedings. The Global Operations Center of CBI closely monitors the movement of wanted criminals like Mehul Chinubhai Choksi. In direct contact with law enforcement agencies abroad. It does not depend on channels like Interpol. India has sought Choksi's extradition. This is actively being considered by the authorities in Antigua and Barbuda. On this, the removal of Choksi's name from the Red Notice List of Interpol will not make any difference.
Choksi fled the country in 2018. A red corner notice was issued against him after 10 months. Till then he was hiding in Antigua and Barbuda. Later he got citizenship here. Choksi, in response to CBI's application, had argued that the conditions of jails in India are very bad. There he may be in danger of his life. Apart from this, he had also given arguments related to health.
Interpol's five-member committee (CCF) had heard about this. It is called the Commission for Control Files. This legal committee has the right to cancel the red notice against any person or accused. The CCF consists of lawyers from different countries.
Apart from Choksi, Nirav Modi is also named in the CBI charge sheet. Choksi disappeared from Antigua in May 2021 and reached neighbouring Dominica. Here he was arrested. A CBI team reached Dominica to extradite him, but before that he got relief from the British Queen's Privy Council. Later he was again handed over to Antigua.
However, 62-year-old Choksi had to spend 51 days in Dominica's jail. Here he argued that he wanted to go to Antigua and get treatment from a neurologist there. A few days after reaching Antigua, Dominica's court also dismissed the cases filed against Choksi.
According to Interpol, a Red Notice or Red Corner Notice is an appeal to law enforcement around the world demanding the search or provisional arrest of a person. A red notice is issued in the name of those people whose extradition, surrender or any similar action is pending. A red notice does not mean an arrest warrant.
Interpol member countries have to decide whether to arrest the person concerned, considering their own laws. The Interpol General Secretariat Red Notice List is regularly updated based on information provided by countries.
195 countries are members of Interpol. Legally, when a red notice is issued by Interpol, the person concerned can be temporarily detained and can be arrested only temporarily. After this, action is taken according to the law of the country in which he has been arrested. In many cases, he is handed over (extradited) to the country in which he is wanted.
Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi are accused of a scam of more than 14 thousand crores in connivance with officials of the Brady House branch of Punjab National Bank, Mumbai. Between 2011 and 2018, the money was transferred to foreign accounts through fake letters of undertaking (LoU).