New Delhi: Gurjit Bhandal, one of many individuals reportedly named in the “abduction” of fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi, who’s held in Dominica after his mysterious disappearance from Antigua and Barbuda on May 23, has denied any link to the case.
In his criticism to the Antigua police, Mehul Choksi has named Gurmit Singh Bhandal, Narendar Singh, Jabarica and different unidentified individuals for his alleged abduction.
However, in accordance to native media experiences, Gurjit Bhandal has denied any link to the Choksi case and claimed that he had left the Caribbean island on May 23 morning on a yacht.
As per a PTI report, Bhandal, who’s into property enterprise in Midlands, United Kingdom, has claimed that he had gone crusing in the Caribbeans together with his good friend Gurmit Singh in April-May. Denying any affiliation with the alleged abduction of Choksi, Bhandal, an Indian-origin individual, mentioned he would “co-operate and help the police” in the investigation, however the Antigua police haven’t approached him to this point.
The report additionally revealed that Bhandal and Singh had been at English Harbour in Antigua and after clearing immigration late morning, they left for Dominica. Bhandal claimed that he reached Dominica at night time however cleared the customs the subsequent day.
“We reached Dominica on May 23, Sunday night. On the same day, we started from Antigua and cleared the customs the next day on May 24,” Bhandal was quoted as saying.
In his criticism, Choksi has alleged that he was kidnapped from Antigua on May 23 night and brought on a yacht, including that the yacht later took him to the waters of Dominica the subsequent morning, the place he was handed over to the Coast Guard of Dominica on a ship.
The report additionally quoted Bhandal as saying that he and his mates had a plan to go to St Lucia from Dominica however Bhandal, who claimed to be an everyday crusing aficionado, mentioned he acquired “seasick” en route and dropped any additional crusing plan after reaching Dominica.
Bhandal additionally added that he and Singh “often go sailing together” in the Mediterranean Sea, however this time, they determined to do it in the Caribbeans. “We took a charter from there (Dominica) to Barbados,” Bhandal mentioned.
As per the report, when he was requested about Mehul Choksi’s good friend Barbara Jabarica, Bhandal mentioned he doesn’t know Jabarica however retains assembly a whole bunch of individuals whereas taking flights in the Caribbeans.
“There were 21 flights to the Caribbeans, but during Covid, there are only two flights in a week now, so this increases the possibility that we bump into the same people again and again,” he mentioned.
Bhandal, in accordance to the report, additionally mentioned that he has been sailng together with his good friend Singh in the world since April and had stayed in Antigua for 4 days, Dominica for one and St Lucia for 4 days.Â
Meanwhile, Mehul Choksi is needed in a Rs 13,500 crore PNB fraud case in India and had mysteriously gone lacking on May 23 from Antigua and Barbuda, the place he has been staying as a citizen since 2018.
He was detained in the neighbouring island nation of Dominica for unlawful entry, after a potential romantic escapade together with his rumored girlfriend.
Choksi’s attorneys alleged that he was kidnapped from Jolly Harbour in Antigua by policemen trying like Antiguan and Indian, and introduced to Dominica on a ship.
(With PTI inputs)
Â
