Dominica ready to extradite Mehul Choksi directly to India: Antigua & Barbuda PM
Fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi, who was captured in Dominica after fleeing from neighbouring Antigua and Barbuda, could also be extradited directly to India. Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne informed information company ANI that Choksi can be repatriated to India and Indian authorities are in contact with their counterparts in Dominica.
Browne informed ANI that Choksi could have entered illegally into Dominica, probably by boat. Dominican authorities, he mentioned, is cooperating with Antiguan & Indian governments. “Choski will be deported from Dominica.”
“We have asked the Dominican government to detain him for entering their country illegally, to make him persona non grata and have him deported directly to India,” ANI reported whereas quoting Antiguan PMO.
Browne mentioned that Antigua is not going to settle for Choksi again. He has requested Dominica PM Skerrit and legislation enforcement to not return Choksi to Antigua the place he has authorized and constitutional safety as citizen.
“We have requested that he be detained and to make arrangements with the Dominican government to have him returned to India,” he informed ANI.
Choksi is at the moment within the custody of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Dominica, in accordance to Antigua media.
To a query if Choksi has obtained Dominican citizenship, he mentioned, “I am pretty sure. I am not aware that he is a citizen of Dominica and that he’d have enjoyed any constitutional protection, so on that basis it will be easy for Dominica to deport him.”
“Dominica has agreed (for Mehul Choksi’s repatriation). We will not accept him back. He made a monumental error by skipping island. Dominican government and law enforcement are cooperating and we have informed Indian government to have him repatriated to India,” he mentioned.
Choksi had been residing in Antigua however he fled the nation on Sunday. A large manhunt was launched and an Interpol Yellow Notice was issued by Antigua and Barbuda. He was traced and captured in neighbouring Dominica.
Meanwhile, Choksi’s lawyer Vijay Aggarwal informed ANI that he has spoken to the fugutive businessman’s household, and “they are happy and relieved that his whereabouts are now known”.
“Efforts are being made to speak to him so that one can know the clearer picture of how he was taken to Dominica,” he mentioned.
Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi are wished for allegedly siphoning off Rs 13,500 crore of public cash from the state-run Punjab National Bank (PNB), utilizing letters of enterprise.
While Modi is in a London jail after repeated denial of bail and is contesting extradition to India, Choksi had taken the citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda in 2017 utilizing the Citizenship by Investment programme, earlier than fleeing India within the first week of January 2018. The rip-off got here to gentle subsequently. Both are dealing with a CBI probe.
READ MORE: Mehul Choksi, lacking from Antigua since 3 days, present in Dominica in CID’s custody
