Gitanjali Gems owner Mehul Choksi has told a court in Mumbai that he cannot bear a 41-hour long journey from Antigua because of his poor health.
Choksi, who is absconding after being named in the Rs 13,400 crore PNB scam case, is wanted by investigating agencies for loan fraud.
The diamantaire had fled along with his nephew Nirav Modi, the prime accused in the PNB scam. The scam is said to have begun in 2011 and was detected in January, 2018. By the time officials PNB officials reported it to the probe agencies, the duo had already left India.
Choksi apprised the court about his willingness to join the investigation through video conferencing. He also accused the Enforcement Directorate (ED) of misleading the probe by deliberately not sharing the details of his health condition.
The businessman also said in his 34-page reply that he was in constant touch with the Punjab National Bank to settle the issue.
Earlier, Interpol had issued a Red Corner Notice against Choksi. Choksi had taken an oath of allegiance to Antigua in January this year. In August, India officially sought Choksi's extradition from Antigua. In September, Choksi released a video, in which he labelled the Enforcement Directorate's charges against him in the PNB scam as “baseless”. Choksi also claimed the Enforcement Directorate had illegally attached his properties in India.
