<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">India has said that media reports about a new extradition agreement with Antigua and Barbuda is incorrect. Sources said, as per the provisions of the Extradition Act, 1993 of Antigua and Barbuda, a fugitive may be extradited to a Designated Commonwealth Country or a State with which there are general or special arrangement or a bilateral treaty. The Government of Antigua and Barbuda notified India as a designated Commonwealth country in 2001. </div>''<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"></div>''<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">The clarification assumes significance in the wake of India trying to bring back bank fraud accused Mehul Choksi from Antigua.  India formally handed over extradition request <span class="aQJ" data-term="goog_733222208" tabindex="0" style="border-bottom: 1px dashed #cccccc; position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">on Sunday</span>to Antigua on Choksi. As per reports, Antiguan authorities had cleared Choksi's citizenship to that country in November last year. </div>''<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"></div>''<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">The External Affairs Ministry in a gazette notification on 3rd August directed that the provisions of Extradition Act, 1962 shall apply with respect to Antigua and Barbuda with effect from 2001 which is when Antigua and Barbuda notified India as Designated Commonwealth Country under the provision of its own Extradition Act. </div>''<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"></div>''<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">These notifications constitute an extradition arrangement between India and Antigua and Barbuda under their Extradition Act of 1993 and provides the legal basis for extraditing offenders from each other's jurisdiction.</div>