Mehul was given citizenship after clearance from Indian Government : Antigua
New Delhi, Aug 3: The Antigua government has said fugitive Indian jeweller Mehul Choksi was given citizenship of the Caribbean country after "stringent background checks" and clearance certificate by Mumbai Police and the External Affairs Ministry.
The Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU) of Antigua and Barbuda, however, said while conducting background checks on Choksi, it found that the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) had initiated investigations against him twice. But the cases, according to India's market regulator, had been closed.
In a detailed statement, the citizenship authority said the businessman's application was received in May 2017 with necessary documentary requirements, including a police clearance certificate.
"The said police clearance certificate from the government of India, Ministry of External Affairs Regional Passport Office, Mumbai, certified that there was no adverse information against Mehul Chinubhai Choksi which would render him ineligible for grant of travel facilities including visa for Antigua and Barbuda."
The CIU statement, shared by Antigua Observer newspaper on its website, said these facts were being made public "in an effort to provide clarity and address misinformation that has been circulating in the public domain".
It said as Choksi's application was subjected to "stringent background checks" as is done with all applications submitted to the unit.
These checks include open source Internet checks, Thompson Reuters World-Check, queries of various sanctions lists, engagement with regional and international intelligence agencies like Interpol as well as contracted third party due diligence providers.
"It was only after the results of all of these checks had been received and assessed that a final decision was taken on the application. In no instance was any derogatory information disclosed on the applicant."
The statement said the CIU received documentation of two instances in which the SEBI, in 2014 and 2017, opened investigations on a corporate entity owned by Choksi.
"We requested updates on the status of the investigations and received documentary confirmation, issued by the SEBI, stating that in one case, the matter had been satisfactorily closed, and indicating in the other that there is not sufficient evidence to pursue the matter further.
"None of these matters is the subject of the current warrants issued by the Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI) in connection with the Punjab National Bank. It was also observed that (a) 2016 non-bailable warrant (against Choksi) was discontinued in October 2016."
The CIU also dismissed a reported claim by the CBI that indicated that the Interpol had made no direct contact with the Antigua authorities on Choksi.
"The CIU maintains, that this comment notwithstanding, that its background investigations do in fact include Interpol. Were there an active warrant for Choksi at the time his citizenship application was being processed, this information should have already been made available to Interpol, a notification of which would have been readily accessible by the CIU and its due diligence partners.
"Further, the warrant should have formed a part of the criminal records database in India and therefore declared in the police clearance certificate issued by External Affairs Ministry."
The statement said the notice of the ongoing criminal investigation for defrauding the Punjab National Bank to the tune of Rs 13,500 crore against Choksi was first issued by Indian authorities on January 31, 2018.
"As such, these matters emerged well after the background vetting process which would have resulted in the August 2017 approval of Choksi's application and his subsequent registration as a citizen in November 2017."
It said the CIU had taken all reasonable steps to ensure that Choksi was a fit and proper candidate for the grant of citizenship as allowed under the Antigua and Barbuda Citizenship By Investment Act.
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Actor Rahul's death: Film body demands fair probe, files police complaint
Kolkata (PTI): Amidst the controversy over the accidental death of actor Rahul Arunoday Banerjee during an outdoor shoot near Digha in Purba Medinipur district, the West Bengal Motion Picture Artists' Forum on Saturday lodged a police complaint against the producers in connection with the incident.
Senior forum members, including actors Prosenjit Chatterjee and Santilal Mukherjee, told a press meet outside Regent Park police station that the complaint called for a fair and transparent probe into the tragedy.
"We want the real truth and exact circumstances behind the incident to come to light," a forum member said. Actor Rituparna Sengupta was also present at the briefing.
Banerjee's wife, Priyanka Sarkar, was also present but did not speak to the media.
"On March 29, during the shooting of television serial 'Bholey Baba Par Karega' at Talsari near Digha, our colleague and forum member, actor Rahul Arunoday Banerjee, tragically passed away due to an accidental drowning," the forum said in a statement on Friday night.
"In this regard, the forum, on behalf of its members, sought legal advice to ascertain the exact circumstances surrounding the incident. Accordingly, a formal letter was sent to the production house.... on April 1 seeking clarification," the statement said.
"However, the response received on April 2 was found to be unsatisfactory and inadequate. Since then, various opinions and concerns have also been expressed on social media regarding the incident," the forum said.
Mukherjee said in light of this, and after further legal consultation, the forum has decided to initiate legal proceedings.
Chatterjee said the forum would consult lawyers to decide the next course of action.
Meanwhile, several members of the Bengali film industry held a procession from Technicians' Studio to Radha Studio, a distance of around 1 km, carrying placards reading 'Justice for Rahul'.
The rally was led by several known faces of the industry, including actor-director Aparna Sen, Anjan Dutt, director Srijit Mukherjee, Kaushik Ganguly, actor-director Parambrata Chatterjee, actor Rudranil Ghosh, actor Riddhi Sen, actor-theatre personality Kaushik Sen, among others.
The rally was supported by technician federation director Swarup Biswas.
Earlier, the makers of 'Bholey Baba Par Karega' had expressed grief over Banerjee’s death and assured that the circumstances surrounding the incident would be examined transparently.
"The entire cast and crew are in profound mourning. We request a few days to gather accounts of those present so that a comprehensive and accurate report can be presented," the producers had said, adding that a representative nominated by the actor’s family or the forum could observe the process.
Police officials said according to eyewitness accounts, Banerjee and a co-actor were filming a dance sequence in knee-deep water when they slipped into an underwater ditch. Both were taken to a hospital in Digha, but Banerjee could not be saved.
Banerjee rose to fame with the 2008 Bengali film 'Chirodini Tumi Je Amar', directed by Raj Chakraborty, which starred him opposite Priyanka Sarkar and became a major hit.
Rahul, who had started his career in early 2000, acted in several critically acclaimed Bengali films and TV soaps after the blockbuster success of Chirodini in 2008 and also started hosting a podcast which gained popularity.
