Relief to Mehul Choksi as Dominica drops illegal entry charges against him

In a relief to Punjab National Bank scam accused diamantaire Mehul Choksi, the Dominica government has dropped "all charges" related to his mysterious unlawful entry from Antigua and Barbuda in May last year, according to his spokesperson from London.

Choksi was taken into custody in Dominica, the Caribbean island country, in May last year after he went missing from Antigua and Barbuda where he had taken citizenship before allegedly escaping from India to avoid charges of orchestrating Rs 13,500 crore scam in Punjab National Bank in which his nephew Nirav Modi is a co-accused.

He was left on bail after 51 days by the Dominica high court there.

During the period, India made desperate attempts to bring him back with a Central Bureau of Investigation team stationed there with a private jet. His lawyers however had alleged that he was abducted from Antigua by 'Indian looking men' who had brought him to Dominica.

All the proceedings against Choksi of illegal entry into Dominica were dropped on May 20, the spokesperson said.

"Mr Choksi is pleased that the Dominican Government has dropped all charges against him for unlawful entry in May 2021. By doing so they now recognise that there was never any case against him. Mr Choksi was forcibly removed from Antigua against his will by agents of the Indian State, viciously assaulted, and taken to Dominica by boat, where he was again unlawfully handed over to authorities for an offence he never committed," the spokesperson said.

The statement said Choksi's legal team will continue to pursue all avenues for justice to redress the human rights violations committed against him.

"Mr Choksi hopes that those responsible for his kidnapping from Antigua on May 23rd 2021 will be brought to justice," it said.

Choksi, 62, was given bail by Dominica high court July last year to travel back to Antigua to seek medical help from a neurologist based there with a provision that he will return to face trial when gets fitness clearance by his doctors.

While seeking bail in Dominica, Choksi had attached his medical reports including CT scan reports which showed "mildly worsening hematoma".

The doctors recommend an urgent review of his medical condition by a neurologist and a neurosurgical consultant.

Going by medical reports, the high court had allowed Choksi to return to Antigua for his treatment.