Fugitive diamond merchant Mehul Choksi has gone missing in the Caribbean island nation of Antigua and Barbuda, suggest local media reports. Speaking to news agency ANI, Mehul Choksi's lawyer Vijay Aggarwal said his family members are "worried and anxious, and they had called me to discuss".
"Mr Mehul Choksi is missing. His family members were worried and anxious and had called me to discuss. Antigua police are investigating. Family is in the dark and worried about his safety," Aggarwal said.
He also said that the Antigua Police is investigating the case. Police had reportedly launched a manhunt to trace the fugitive businessman on Sunday but so far, they have failed to find his whereabouts.
"Antigua Newsroom", a local media outlet, quoted Commissioner of Police Atlee Rodney on Tuesday saying that police are "following up on the whereabouts of Indian businessman Mehul Choksi", who is "rumoured" to be missing.
Media reports say Choksi, who had taken the citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda after fleeing from India, was last time seen driving in the southern area of the island on Sunday. He was reportedly going for dinner at a well-known restaurant. Police have recovered his vehicle but they are yet to trace him, reports suggest.
Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi are fighting their extradition back to India in the Rs 14,700 crore Punjab National Bank fraud case.
Nirav Modi is in the UK prison, contesting his extradition back to India, while Choksi became the citizen of Antigua and Barbuda in 2017 using its Citizenship by Investment programme. Both are facing CBI probe in India.
Also read: ED attaches Mehul Choksi, Gitanjali Group's assets worth Rs 14.45 crore