Delhi HC Orders Fugitive Mehul Choksi To Deposit Rs 2 Lakh As Condition To Proceed With His Appeal For Preview Of Docu-Series 'Bad Boy Billionaires'

Recently, the Delhi High Court issued an order to fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi, who is accused of the Punjab National Bank scam (PNB scam) and currently residing in Antigua and Barbuda. The court instructed him to deposit ₹2 lakh as a precondition for proceeding with the hearing of his appeal, which seeks a preview of the Netflix docu-series titled 'Bad Boy Billionaires'. 

A Division Bench comprising Justices Vibhu Bakhru and Amit Mahajan made this decision, taking note of Choksi's non-resident status and the numerous pending proceedings against him, including those related to payment dues. The court has scheduled the consideration of the case for August 4. 

Choksi had filed an appeal against a single judge's earlier dismissal of his plea, where he sought a preview of the series, fearing it could impede his right to a fair investigation and trial. The single-judge had ruled that the plea was not maintainable since Choksi had the option to approach a civil court for his grievances. 

Notably, Mehul Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi are accused in the ₹13,500 crore PNB fraud case, and Choksi departed India in 2019 to become a citizen of Antigua and Barbuda. The Netflix docu-series 'Bad Boy Billionaires,' released in October 2020, dedicates its second episode to the allegations against both Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi.