New Delhi: Dominica Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has termed “total nonsense” the claims that his authorities was involved in alleged abduction of diamantaire Mehul Choksi, needed in Rs 13,5000 crore rip-off in Punjab National Bank, from Antigua and Barbuda, neighbouring native media reported.
In his weekly “annou palay” present, Skerrit mentioned his authorities will enable the courtroom to hold out its course of relating to Choksi and gave the reassurance that his rights and obligations shall be revered, Dominica News Online reported.
Skerrit refuted the allegations of a plot between India and the Dominica authorities to kidnap Choksi from neighbouring Caribbean nation Antigua and Barbuda, the place he was staying since 2018 as a citizen, after fleeing from India, and convey him to Dominica, the information portal reported.
“To say that the government of Dominica and the government of Antigua along with India colluded in any way, give me a break, that’s total nonsense. We don’t get involved ourselves in those kinds of activities, those practices, not at all. I mean that is absurd and we reject it and it is unfortunate that anybody would want to propagate this unsubstantiated claim by a gentleman who is before the courts,” he was quoted as saying by Dominica News Online.
He additional mentioned, “whether it would be fair for a local who commits murder in Dominica and flees to another country, is allowed to roam free or instead be apprehended and sent back to Dominica to face his charges”.
Citing the case of a Dominica citizen needed by the United States whose extradition proceedings are going on in courts to counter opposition on Choksi, Skerrit mentioned the nation can not deal with folks in another way relying on who they’re or how a lot cash they could have.
“All of us are subjected to the laws irrespective of our position or how much money we may have or how much we don’t have. And I believe that in this circumstance. Dominica has a right and obligation to apprehend this person and bring the person before the courts and let the courts determine,” he mentioned.
“We right here in Dominica with the opposition speaking about Choksi however there’s a younger boy from Grand Bay, Where there’s an extradition request by the United States authorities on allegations that he dedicated a criminal offense in St Thomas and we’re mandated and obligated to apprehend him.’’
“And the police acted on the instruction of the DPP (Director of Public Prosecutions) arrested the young man and he is remanded at the state prison awaiting his extradition hearing. His lawyers will fight his case. If the courts believe that there is no reason to extradite him to the United States then he will go freely,” Skerrit mentioned.
Choksi’s lawyer in Dominica Justin Simon claimed that United Kingdom’s Metropolitan Police, often called Scotland Yard, has began wanting into allegations of torture and kidnapping of Choksi as residents there was allegedly a part of the plot, the information web site reported.
Simon informed media that there shall be worldwide implications if Dominica or Antigua seems to be involved in the alleged plot, it mentioned.