Sharada Raut led Chokshi Mission team including two members each from MEA, CBI, and ED along with two CRPF commandos are in Dominica for Choksi extradition matter hearing in Dominica court scheduled on June 2.
Following the habeas corpus plea filed by Chokshi’s lawyer, Dominica Court has restrained his deportation to India till June 2.
The team will only be able to bring back Mehul Chokshi if the Dominica court orders his repatriation. The June 2 hearing will play a crucial role as Chokshi’s lawyer has contended that he is no longer an Indian Citizen and there is no extradition treaty between India and Dominica.
However, ED says that Chokshi is an Indian citizen and will be tried as per Indian laws.
Mehul Chokshi, founder and MD of Gitanjali group is accused of defrauding Punjab National Bank Rs 13,500 Crore along with his nephew Nirav Modi. The PNB fraud scam is claimed to be the biggest scam till now.
He has been booked under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and Section 409, Section 420, and Section 120B of the Indian Penal Code, and relevant Sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The wanted businessman is also facing two cases including extradition and revocation in connection to his citizenship in Antigua. An Interpol red notice is already pending against him under which the global police body Interpol will be alerted if he entered any immigration point anywhere in the world.
He fled to Antigua and Barbuda on January 4, 2018, just a day before the scam came to everyone’s notice. The diamantaire acquired the citizenship of the country under ‘citizenship by investment programme’ of the island’s government.
He was found missing from the island on May 23 and was found in Dominica on May 26. Several images of Chokshi got viral on Saturday showing bruise marks on his body and swollen eyes. His lawyer alleged that he was abducted. The lawyer also turned down the sensational claims made by the PM of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Crowe, that Chokshi was enjoying the vacation with his girlfriend but got caught in Dominica.
Lawyer Vijay Agarwal argued that the girl who claimed to be his girlfriend is also part of the team involved in Chokshi’s abduction, torture, and arrest. He claimed that policemen looking like Antiguan and Indian abducted him from Antigua and Barbuda’s Jolly Harbour and tortured him.
