The Mumbai Police on Saturday said they gave a clear report to fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi last year as no criminal antecedents were found against him, PTI reported quoting a statement. The police said they have ordered an inquiry “into the matter of issuance of clear police verification report” to Choksi.

Choksi fled India in January, a few weeks before a massive scam at Punjab National Bank came to light. He and his nephew Nirav Modi are accused of defrauding the bank of over Rs 13,000 crore. Choksi was granted the citizenship of Antigua in November 2017.

On Friday, Antigua’s Citizenship By Investment Unit said it had received Choksi’s application for citizenship in May 2017 with the necessary documents, including a police clearance certificate.

The Ministry of External Affairs said on Friday that the police clearance certificate was issued “by Passport Office, Mumbai, for Antigua and Barbuda on March 16, 2017… on the basis of a clear police verification report available on his passport”, The Indian Express reported.

According to the police, Choksi applied for the certificate on February 23, 2017. On March 10, 2017, the Malabar Hill police station, under whose jurisdiction Choksi’s residence falls, submitted a “clear report”, after running a check on its internal Criminal Antecedents and Information System. On March 14, 2017, the Mumbai Police passport branch forwarded the report to the Regional Passport Office.

The Criminal Antecedents and Information System only reflects the applicant’s name if he has been arrested for any offence, PTI reported quoting a Mumbai Police statement. “The Mumbai Police is examining its internal processes involved in the criminal antecedent’s verification process to improve the existing system,” the statement said.

The Securities and Exchange Board of India has denied reports that claimed it had provided a “positive report” about Choksi to Antigua’s Citizenship by Investment Unit.