Punjab National Bank fraud: Enforcement Directorate files chargesheet against Mehul Choksi, 13 other entities

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday filed a prosecution complaint, or chargesheet, before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Mumbai against Gitanjali Gems promoter Mehul Choksi, a key accused in the multi-crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case, a media report said.

Enforcement Directorate has filed prosecution complaint against Mehul Choksi before PMLA special court, Mumbai. Choksi & 13 other entities including 8 individuals & 5 companies have been charged under section 4 of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA)

— ANI (@ANI) June 28, 2018

Choksi’s counsel Sanjay Abbot, in his response to the non-bailable warrant (NBW) issued against the fugitive businessman, said that there are over 10 grounds, mainly medical, on which they have approached the court. “CBI said he isn’t replying but my client has replied on each & every notice,” Abbot was quoted as saying by the ANI

My client replied to CBI that his passport has been revoked & he has security threats also. Court has asked CBI to file reply. Matter has been fixed for arguments on July 23. We've filed application on legal grounds that Non-bailable warrant wasn't supposed to be issued: S Abbot pic.twitter.com/kHXiQsdWEK

— ANI (@ANI) June 28, 2018

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On Wednesday, Choksi moved the special court in Mumbai seeking cancellation of the NBW issued against him. Abbot moved the application before special CBI court judge JC Jagdale. [caption id=“attachment_4389649” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File photo of Mehul Choksi. News18[/caption] In the application, Choksi said he could not travel because of his medical condition. The diamond merchant also claimed he was unable to disclose his current location as he was facing a threat to his life from various persons. Choksi said that he never sought to avoid the investigation or the probe agencies and had duly responded to all communication that he received from the investigating agencies. He also contended that his case was completely different from that of his relative, billionaire jeweller Nirav Modi. Choksi said the Enforcement Directorate attached his assets after registering a case based the first Central Bureau of Investigation FIR pertaining Nirav Modi even though he (Choksi) had got nothing to do with it. With inputs from PTI