Foreign Ministry Said, Will Bring Mehul Choksi Back To India

Foreign Ministry said, will bring Mehul Choksi back to India, legal procedures are being completed in Dominica.

The Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday said that India stands by its resolve to bring the fugitives back to the country and will continue all efforts to bring back Mehul Choksi, wanted in the fraud case.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Arindam Bagchi said in a weekly press briefing via a digital medium, he (Choksi) is currently in custody in Dominica were some legal processes are going on.

We will continue all efforts so that he (Choksi) is brought back to India. The Foreign Ministry spokesperson was asked questions about the extradition of Choksi, who is currently in custody in Dominica.

Choksi had recently escaped from Antigua and Barbuda and was arrested on May 23 for allegedly entering the Caribbean country illegally.

A legal process is going on against him in Dominica. Choksi is wanted in the Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case of Rs 13,500 crore.

On the other hand, senior lawyer and expert on extradition matters Ujjwal Nikam has also expressed hope of bringing Choksi to India soon.

He said the process currently underway in the Dominica court will take some time. As soon as these processes are completed, the way to bring him to India will be cleared.

Choksi did not get bail.

A magistrate in Dominica refused to grant bail to Mehul Choksi. This information has been given in the local media.

The Dominica High Court, hearing Choksi’s habeas corpus petition, ordered him to be produced before a magistrate to face charges of illegal entry.

On Thursday, Choksi appeared in a wheelchair before a magistrate where he was denied bail. The magistrate was told that there are 11 fraud cases against Choksi in India.

Extradition proceedings are underway in Antigua. Along with this, Interpol has issued a red corner notice in search of him. After this, the magistrate refused to grant bail and adjourned the hearing of the case till June 14.

Antigua cabinet in favor of sending Choksi directly to India.

Meanwhile, the Antigua and Barbuda Cabinet decided in a meeting that Mehul Choksi should be deported directly from Dominica to India.

Reports published by local media about Wednesday’s cabinet meeting chaired by Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne revealed that Choksi’s matter was one of the topics of discussion.

It was agreed in the meeting that Choksi is now Dominica’s problem. If he comes back to Antigua and Barbuda, the problem for the Caribbean country will return.