Choksi, Mehta among top three loan dodgers

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 28

Absconding diamantaires Mehul Choksi and Jatin Mehta are among the top three defaulters whose loans have been technically written off by Indian banks, according to replies provided to RTI activist Saket Gokhale by the RBI’s Central Public Information Officer Abhay Kumar.

“This list is not new and was published earlier. It’s shocking the RBI claims they haven’t updated it since September 30, 2019,” Gokhale posted on twitter along with screenshots of the information provided by the RBI from its Central Repository of Information on Large Credits (CRILC) which maintains credit information of borrowers who have taken more than Rs 5 crore.

The RBI and the Union Finance Ministry did not react to the defaulters’ list till the time of going to the press. However, all defaulters are facing government action in the form of extradition proceedings, attachment of properties and tracing of the money trail.

The RBI said the list of top 50 defaulters as on September 30, 2019, and whose outstanding had been written off was topped by fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi. There are four more jewellers in the list defaulters.