Now, Mehul Choksi blames Antigua typhoon for delay in submitting documents to challenge Bombay HC's order

In a bizarre response, economic fugitive Mehul Choksi who is accused in the PNB fraud case has claimed on Friday, that he was unable to send documents to his lawyer in Bombay within the mandated 30 days to challenge the court's January order, due to an untimely typhoon in Antigua and Barbuda.

Choksi has also said that once the situation in Antigua came under control, he sent the documents through courier service on June 24.

In January, a special court in Mumbai had dismissed applications filed by Mehul Choksi for cross-examination of witnesses in the Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case after which the Enforcement Directorate (ED) was set to declare Choksi a Fugitive Economic Offenders under the Fugitive Economic Offenders (FEO) Act. 

BIG WIN: Mehul Choksi Cornered By ED, Dubai Properties Worth Rs 24 Crore Attached In Connection With PNB Scam

Earlier on Thursday, the ED attached properties of Mehul Choksi worth over Rs 24 crore in Dubai in connection with the Rs 13,000 crore Punjab National Bank Scam. ED have attached immovable properties, valuables, vehicle, bank account having total value of Rs 24.77 crore of accused Mehul Choksi under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in Punjab National Bank Fraud Case.

This development has come days after the Government of Antigua stated that Choksi's citizenship will be revoked and he will be repatriated to India. Mehul Choksi has been in Antigua and Barbuda after he was granted citizenship of the Island nation on January 15, 2018. He has been living in this country since 2018 after fleeing from India.

Global Crackdown: ED Attaches Mehul Choksi’s Dubai Properties Worth 24 Crores

Both Choksi and Nirav Modi have been absconding from India. They are the main accused of defrauding India's second-largest state-run bank PNB to the tune of over Rs 13,000 crore.

Meanwhile, on June 27, Switzerland-based Banks locked down four bank accounts of fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi in connection with the PNB scam, after reliable inputs from the ED to the Swiss government. Nirav Modi is currently in custody in London after he was denied bail on June 12 for the fourth time.