Mehul Choksi cannot be taken out of Antigua-Barbuda. Image Courtesy – Hindustan Times
Diamond businessman Mehul Choksi, who fled after a scam of Rs 14,000 crore in India, has got relief from the Antigua-Barbuda court. The High Court of Antigua-Barbuda has ruled that Mehul cannot be taken out of the country. According to media reports in Dominica, Mehul Choksi has feared inhuman, degrading treatment or punishment.
In fact, Mehul Choksi argued in his case that the Attorney General and Chief of Police of Antigua have an obligation to investigate the cases filed against him. Vigilance demanded relief from the court, saying that on May 23, 2021, there should be an in-depth investigation regarding his kidnapping from Antigua and Barbuda.
After hearing the matter, the High Court ruled that Mehul Choksi could not be taken out of Antigua and Barbuda without its order. The Court of Antigua-Barbuda said that the Dominican police should investigate whether Choksi was forcibly taken to Dominica against his will.
According to a report, Mehul Choksi claimed that he was forced into a boat and sent to Dominica. He had also sought the opinion of his lawyer, but he was not allowed. Choksi’s affidavit contains several allegations including kidnapping, assault, conspiracy to attack, collusion, and attempted forcible removal from the country.
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On the other hand, the lawyer fighting the case against Mehul argued that the investigation into Choksi’s claims is already underway. There is no evidence to prove that this investigation is not being done properly. The lawyer said that the claims of vigilance regarding the investigation of the case were absurd. He was trying to misuse the process of the court.
Earlier in March, the name of Mehul Choksi was removed from the Red Notice list by Interpol. Choksi already appealed against the red corner notice to Interpol’s Lyon headquarters. This decision of Interpol was called wrong by the CBI. The Antiguan authorities also agreed that there was sufficient evidence against him. Antigua had also accepted that Choksi presented the wrong facts to get citizenship there.
Choksi was an accused in the PNB scam and had fled abroad in January 2018. It was later learned that he had taken Antigua-Barbuda citizenship in 2017 purposely. Choksi disappeared from Antigua in May 2021 and reached neighbouring Dominica and there he was arrested. A CBI team from India reached Dominica to extradite him. But, their strategy got failed. Mehul Choksi got relief from the British Queen’s Privy Council long before the CBI reached there. This means, in the strategy of absconding Mehul Choksi was very well planned before the CBI take any action. Later, he was again handed over to the Antigua administration. However, 62-year-old Choksi had to spend 51 days in Dominica’s jail according to the law of their country.
Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi are the accused of a scam of more than 14 thousand crores in connivance with officials of the Brady House branch of Punjab National Bank, Mumbai. The huge amount was transferred to foreign accounts through fake letters of Undertaking (LOU) between 2011 and 2018. These persons along with Vijay Mallya, Lalit Modi, Nitin Sandesara, etc. have looted India like anything.
