Can't travel 41 hours to India: Mehul Choksi tells court

Absconding diamantaire Mehul Choksi on Tuesday, December 25 told a court that he cannot bear a 41-hour long journey from Antigua owning to his poor health.

Choksi is wanted by investigating agencies in India for loan fraud. He and his nephew Nirav Modi fled the country in the first week of January after their companies were found cheating the state-run Punjab National Bank of Rs 13,000 crore.

READ: On CBI's Request, Red Corner Notice Issued Against Economic Offender Mehul Choksi By Interpol

Choksi in his written reply apprised the court about his willingness to join the investigation through video conferencing. In the court, Choksi accused the Enforcement Directorate (ED) of misleading the probe by deliberately not sharing the details of his health condition.

Earlier, Mehul Choksi's counsel told a special Enforcement Directorate (ED) court in Mumbai on Saturday, November 17 that his client was medically unfit to travel from Antigua to India to record his statement.

Sanjay Abbot, Choksi's counsel, told the court, "Presently he is not medically fit to travel. So his statement can either be recorded through video conferencing or ED officers can go to Antigua and record his statement or wait for three months if his conditions improve, he will come back to record his statement."

READ: Mehul Choksi Not Fit To Travel: Counsel To Court

The fugitive businessman in his 34-page long reply also underscored that he is in constant touch with the PNB banks to settle the issue. Choksi was granted citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda last year and he took the oath of allegiance to that country on January 15. The ED has urged the court to declare Choksi a fugitive economic offender and seize his properties