Mehul Choksi’s return to India highly unlikely, Eastern Caribbean SC puts stay on diamantaire’s repatriation from Dominica

The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court has put a stay on repatriation of Mehul Choksi from Dominica.

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New Delhi: Putting all speculations to rest of fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi’s extradition to India for now,  the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court In the High Court of Justice Commonwealth of Dominica on Friday (May 28) put a stay on repatriation of the businessman from Dominica. 

The next hearing in the matter is slated for May 28 at 9 am local time. "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," ANI quoted the court order. 

Wayne Marsh, Choksi's lawyer in Dominica, alleged that his client was ‘severely beaten’ and was ‘abducted’ in Antigua and taken to Dominica. Further, he said they were denied access to their client and it was only on May 27 that he was allowed to speak to Choksi.

"I noticed that he was severely beaten, his eyes were swollen and had several burnt marks on his body. He reported to me that he was abducted at Jolly Harbour in Antigua and brought to Dominica by persons whom he believed to be Indian and Antiguan police on a vessel he described to be about 60-70 feet in length," Marsh told ANI.

The 62-year-old businessman, who has been residing in Antigua and Barbuda since 2018 after his escape from India, had gone missing on Sunday under mysterious circumstances. Later, he was taken into custody by authorities of Dominica where he was captured trying to flee. 

Earlier, officials had said that Choksi would be sent back to Antigua, where he holds citizenship. "Choksi would be charged with illegally entering Dominica and by the rule of law, he will be sent back to his home country Antigua and Barbuda, where he holds citizenship for the past four years," the officials told WIC News. They also confirmed that Choksi had entered Dominica through seaways. 

Mehul Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi are wanted for allegedly siphoning Rs 13,500 crore of public money from the state-run Punjab National Bank using letters of undertaking.