Jeweller Mehul Choksi, an accused in the Rs 12,703-crore Punjab National Bank scam along with his nephew Nirav Modi, on Wednesday wrote to the Central Bureau of Investigation saying he was unable to appear for questioning because of a “persisting health problem”.
Both Choksi and Modi left India in early January. The bank revealed the scam in February. Choksi’s letter did not reveal his current location, but said, “I had a cardiac procedure in the first week of February 2018.” He said there were follow-ups pending.
Choksi also criticised the agency for “causing prejudice against him” by seizing his assets and bank accounts and shutting down his offices in India, Reuters reported. The letter said the investigative agencies were acting with a “pre-determined mind and interfering with the course of justice”, according to the report.
“I further wish to point out that the regional passport office in Mumbai has not given me an explanation about why my passport was suspended,” he said, according to The Times of India. “How am I a security threat to India?” On February 16, the Ministry of External Affairs had suspended the passports of both Modi and Choksi.
Earlier, Modi too had refused to appear before the CBI for questioning, saying he had business to take care of abroad. The CBI then asked him to approach the Indian mission in whichever country he is in so arrangements can be made to bring him to India.
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