Mehul Choksi’s trial for an alleged illegal entry into Dominica is set to begin today in Roseau Magistrate Court of the Caribbean country. Choksi, a fugitive Indian diamantaire, has already been denied bail in the Dominica high court.
Central agency-Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and ministry of external affairs (MEA) have filed affidavits in Dominica high court establishing his Indian citizenship and crime committed by him in India.
Also Read: Dominican court denied bail to Mehul Choksi for illegal entry into the country
Mehul Choksi is the owner of the Gitanjali Group, a retail jewellery company, and he is the uncle of Nirav Modi. The duo together have allegedly defrauded Punjab National Bank of ₹13,500 crore. The fraud was regarding taking bank loans by raising Letters of Undertakings and showing fake transactions of jewellery import to India through shell entities.
In January 2018, both Choksi and Nirav Modi fled India. In February same year, CBI launched an investigation into the alleged scam. The agency made its first arrests in the case soon after. The arrested people were two PNB employees and an executive of Modi’s group. In the same month, ED (Enforcement Directorate) also seized a cumulative of ₹56.74 billion worth of diamonds, gold and jewellery from the offices of the two accused.
A Mumbai court issued a non-bailable warrant against Choksi, in June 2018.
Interpol issued Red corner Notice against him, in July 2019. Under Interpol system, there are multiple colour-base notices. In that system, a Red corner Notice is sent to seek the location or arrest of a person wanted by a judicial jurisdiction or an international tribunal with a view to their extradition.
Also Read: Mehul Choksi arrested by Dominican police after he fled Antigua and Barbuda
Choksi has been in Antigua and Barbuda since 2018 as a citizen. From that country, he went missing on May 23, 2021. The next day, he was found in Dominica and has since been charged with illegal entry into the Caribbean country.
Choksi’s wife, Priti Choksi and his lawyers, Vijay Aggarwal, Wayne Marsh, have alleged that he was abducted and taken to Dominica.
He is seeking to be repatriated to Antigua where he enjoys citizenship. But, Antigua PM Gaston Browne has refused to grant him entry and asked the Dominican government to directly deport him to India. Antigua has denied abduction charges. But, based on a complaint filed by his lawyers, the island’s police is looking into the allegations, Browne said last week.
Two affidavits have been filed by Indian agencies in the Dominica court detailing serious fraud charges against Choksi and proof that he continues to be an Indian citizen. On the other hand, Choksi’s lawyers have maintained that he has given up his Indian citizenship and hence cannot be deported.
The Dominica court has refused to grant Choksi bail saying that he is a flight risk. The court also stressed that he has no ties to the country, and observed that the court cannot impose any conditions to ensure that he will not abscond.
In the CBI affidavit, Mehul Choksi has been called the “mastermind” behind a series of companies. The affidavit says that there is evidence that the businessman laundered funds using dummy companies and market operators, round-tripped in the guise of fraudulent export-import transactions with entities in places such as Dubai and Hong Kong.
It also mentions that there is an Interpol red notice issued against Choksi, which is the highest level that can be issued in case of a fugitive.
Choksi’s lawyers have pleaded that he was abducted, tortured and brought to Dominica on May 23. Dominica state prosecutors have denied the allegations and have booked him for illegal entry into the country.
