New Delhi: Billionaire businessman Mehul Choksi, one of the accused in the Rs 14000 crore Punjab National Bank scam, has opposed the CBI’s plea to Interpol seeking a red corner notice against him on grounds that “conditions in Indian jails are not good”.
Choksi has taken a leaf out of another business tycoon Vijay Mallya — who too is fighting extradition to India and complained of poor conditions in Indian prisons to avoid returning to the country.
Choksi, who is now the citizen of Antigua, claimed that jails in India “violate human rights conditions”.
The CBI move comes amidst media reports that Indian agencies told the Caribbean nation that there was no adverse information against Choksi when it did a background check on the fugitive billionaire before granting him citizenship in 2017
“In its reply, the agency (CBI) has said that jails in India are maintained according to the jail manuals. Also, the co-accused in the case, who are either in jail and have secured bail, had never complained that the conditions in jails are inhuman,” reported Indian Express quoting an unnamed official.
“On human rights violation, the CBI has said that every state has its own human rights commission panel and the Union government has the National Human Rights Commission. Any allegation can be looked by both these bodies and there is no reason to worry,” the same official added.
Just last week, the UK confirmed the presence of Nirav Modi, who is also an accused in the PNB scam, in its territory. Mehul Choksi happens to be Nirav Modi’s maternal uncle.
After the UK court raised questions on condition of Indian jails, the CBI reportedly sent UK authorities a video of the barrack where defunct Kingfisher Airlines' former owner Vijay Mallya will be lodged.
Mallya owes a consortium of 17 banks nearly Rs 9,000 crore as loans and interest.
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