The Centre is reportedly in touch with Dominica authorities to bring back fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi from the Caribbean region. While the Dominican government is reticent on India’s effort to get the disgraced businessman back, it said it would make “possible arrangements” for his repatriation to Antigua.
The Dominican government’s made its stance somewhat clear a day after Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne made a statement, mentioning that he had asked the Dominican authorities to extradite the diamantaire to India rather than send him back to Antigua. Choksi was captured on Tuesday night in Toucari Beach, a small village located in the northwestern coast of the island, by Dominican police while allegedly trying to flee to Cuba in a boat. The fugitive diamantaire had been living in Antigua and Barbuda since 2018 after taking the citizenship of the country.
Several news reports emanating from Roseau, the capital of Dominica, mentioned that Choksi’s lawyer has claimed before local journalists that the businessman had been kidnapped from Antigua by men who sounded Indian and brought to Dominica, where he was allegedly beaten up.
Speaking to Times Now, Choksi’s lawyer in Dominica, Wayne Marsh, said, “We were not allowed to access Mr Choksi, his lawyer had asked me to visit him. Yesterday despite several attempts to see him, we were denied access to Mr Choksi. In fact, we were told by the officer that we received instruction that no one to see Mr Choksi. So we had to leave.” He further added that he was taken to Dominica in a boat and was held in a military base where he was beaten and was not given access to anyone.
The Dominican authorities said it established contact with Antigua and Barbuda to ascertain certain facts, including the status of Choksi’s Antiguan citizenship. “Once the information is provided by Antigua authorities, possible arrangements will be made for Mr Choksi to be repatriated to Antigua,” Dominica’s security and home ministry said in a statement.
Citing government sources, ToI reported that India remained in touch with both countries to bring the economic offender back. “We are in touch with them. Our interest in getting fugitives like Choksi and others remains strong,” the publication quoted a source familiar with the matter as saying.
Meanwhile, as per a recent report in the dominicannewsonline.com, the Dominica high court ruled that Choksi cannot be immediately repatriated from the island nation and that he should be granted full access to attorneys. Plus, Justice Birnie Stephenson agreed that Choksi’s legal counsels be allowed to meet with him forthwith. The matter is likely to be heard at 9 am (local time) today.
“This order is to be served immediately on the Defendants by email and fax and in person, and the Head of Immigration at the Douglas Charles Airport by email and fax,” it said.
Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi are wanted for allegedly siphoning off Rs 13,500 crore of public money from state-controlled Punjab National Bank, using letters of undertaking.
At present, Nirav Modi is in a London prison and is contesting extradition to India, Choksi had taken the citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda in 2017 using the Citizenship by Investment programme. Both are facing a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe.
