NEW DELHI: The Indian government has approached the Antigua and Barbuda government seeking detention of fugitive Mehul Choksi who is facing cases under the prevention of money laundering act. Official sources here said that the Indian high commissioner in Georgetown (Guyana) met relevant authorities in the local government over the issue.

"MEA continues to liaise with relevant Indian agencies and the government of Antigua & Barbuda to follow up on this matter," said an official.

According to the government, the valid passport of Mehul Choksi was revoked in February 2018.

"As soon as MEA received information of the likely presence of Mehul Choksi in Antigua, our high commission in Georgetown had alerted the A&B government, in writing and verbally, to confirm his presence in their territory and detain him and prevent his movement by land, air or sea," official sources here said.

Choksi had claimed in a statement last week that he had taken Antigua citizenship last year to expand his business as the passport of the Caribbean nation provides visa-free travel to 132 countries. Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne on Friday had said that the Indian government had not approached them over the Choksi issue. He had also offered to cooperate.

"At the time when he applied about August last year, there was no derogatory information on him. In fact, up to this point I do not believe that your law enforcement agencies in India would have posted anything on Interpol. So in essence, my country did nothing wrong," Browne told a news channel.

