Go Unlimited with Magzter GOLD
Get unlimited access to 10,000+ magazines, newspapers and Premium stories for just
Try GOLD - Free
When 'Raj' Escaped Choked
The New Indian Express Kozhikode
|April 20, 2025
Once a leading figure in India's diamond industry, Mehul Choksi is now infamous as the mastermind behind one of the country's largest banking frauds and is currently facing extradition from Belgium to India.
Born in Mumbai in 1959 and educated in Gujarat, Choksi inherited his father's diamond business and transformed it into the global Gitanjali Group. Known for his flamboyant lifestyle, he lived with his wife Preeti and their three children in luxury—while orchestrating what would become a ₹13,500 crore scam that shook India's financial sector.
The burly businessman expanded Gitanjali Gems into a retail powerhouse with over 4,000 outlets across India and abroad. Celebrities such as Aishwarya Rai, Kareena Kapoor, and Katrina Kaif endorsed his brand, helping it gain aspirational value among Indian consumers.
International expansion followed, with partnerships across the US, Europe, Japan, and West Asia. However, behind the glitz, financial mismanagement and fraudulent practices were beginning to unravel.
This story is from the April 20, 2025 edition of The New Indian Express Kozhikode.
Subscribe to Magzter GOLD to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 10,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
MORE STORIES FROM The New Indian Express Kozhikode
The New Indian Express Kozhikode
Govt told to reply on CBSE's 3-language policy
THE Supreme Court on Wednesday sought detailed responses of the Centre, CBSE and the NCERT after hearing the plea challenging the mandate on three languages, including two regional languages for students from Classes VI to IX.
1 min
May 28, 2026
The New Indian Express Kozhikode
3 pvt players in race to build 5th-generation stealth fighter
THE government on Wednesday invited bids for India’s nearly ₹15,000-crore Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme, with three shortlisted Indian firms and consortia set to compete for development of the country’s first indigenous fifth-generation stealth fighter.
1 mins
May 28, 2026
The New Indian Express Kozhikode
Antil rewrites world mark
SUMIT Antil rewrote his own world record in the men’s javelin F64 event during the ongoing 8th Indian Open Para Athletics International Championship in Bengaluru.
1 min
May 28, 2026
The New Indian Express Kozhikode
Maharashtra's moon
LONAR, sits quietly in Maharashtra’s Buldhana district — another unremarkable stretch of the Deccan plateau and nothing about its approach prepares you for what lies behind the low hills at its edge.
1 mins
May 28, 2026
The New Indian Express Kozhikode
Govt okays ED overhaul, expands workforce as caseloads go up sharply
THE Government has approved a restructuring of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), while substantially increasing sanctioned strength across multiple cadres, according to an order issued by the Ministry of Finance on Wednesday.
1 min
May 28, 2026
The New Indian Express Kozhikode
10k jawans to track down 25 Maoists in Saranda
IN a decisive push to eliminate the remaining Maoist presence, the Jharkhand Police have deployed around 10,000 security personnel to track down nearly 25 rebels still hiding in the Saranda forests of West Singhbhum.
1 mins
May 28, 2026
The New Indian Express Kozhikode
Rybakina shocked by unseeded Starodubtseva
AUSTRALIAN Open champion Elena Rybakina suffered a shock early exit in the French Open second round on Wednesday at the hands of unseeded Ukrainian Yuliia Starodubtseva.
1 min
May 28, 2026
The New Indian Express Kozhikode
HORN FALLS SILENT BUT THE MUSIC KEEPS ROLLIN'
AD Walter Theodore ‘Sonny’ Rollins not been drawn to spiritualism, jazz would not have come back to India in 1978 with a big bang.
1 mins
May 28, 2026
The New Indian Express Kozhikode
Multi-crore paddy shortage scam rocks Rajnandgaon dist of C'garh
WHILE paddy shortage is cited as an annual menace in Chhattisgarh, the staggering discrepancy in numbers unearthed this season has sent shock waves through cooperative societies, administrative circles, and political corridors alike.
1 min
May 28, 2026
The New Indian Express Kozhikode
SC seeks report, says speed up Manipur trial
THE Supreme Court on Wednesday said that trials in cases linked to the 2023 Manipur ethnic violence must be fast-tracked as it directed the authorities to submit a status report.
1 min
May 28, 2026
Listen
Translate
Change font size