Diamantaire Mehul Choksi, a key accused in the multicrore PNB scam case, on Monday told the Bombay High Court that he left India for medical treatment abroad and not to avoid prosecution in the case.

Mr. Choksi, currently based in the Caribbean nation of Antigua, told the court that he would return to India as soon as he is medically fit to travel.

The Enforcement Directorate, which has moved a special PMLA court here to get Mr. Choksi declared a fugitive economic offender, has accused the jeweller of fleeing India to avoid arrest.

Mr. Choksi filed an affidavit through his advocate Vijay Aggarwal stating that he had left the country in January 2018 for his medical check-up and treatment.

Mr. Choksi claimed he left the country on January 4, 2018, while as per the Punjab National Bank, the alleged fraud came to their knowledge on January 16, 2018.

“Hence, the allegations that I left the country to avoid criminal prosecution is without any basis as the PNB itself came to know about the alleged fraudulent issuance of Letters of Undertaking only on January 16, 2018,” Mr. Choksi said.