Radhe

The latest court order comes as a setback for Indian agencies that had moved court in Dominica to get Choksi repatriated to India. Indian Fugitive jeweller Mehul Choksi, who is wanted in India in Rs 13,500 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case, was allowed to travel back to Antigua and Barbuda after he was granted bail by a Dominica High Court. Choksi's lawyer Vijay Aggarwal, told IANS, "Yes, Choksi has been granted bail on medical grounds."

Choksi's lawyer Vijay Agarwal told IANS: "Yes, Choksi has been granted bail on medical grounds." "Dominica's courts finally upheld the rule of law and rights of a human to be treated in the medical facilities of his choice. And all attempts by various agencies did not bear fruits. There is a solace in saying that all clever foxes end up as fur coats," he said.

Skerrit further vowed that his government will evenly apply the law irrespective of who is accused of committing crime. He said that such was the case with the Iranian born, Dominican citizenship holder and diplomat, Alireza Zibahalat Monfared, who was wanted by the Iranian government for allegedly embezzling billions of dollars while the country evaded international oil sanctions.

A request for a meeting with Secretary-General of Caricom, Irwin Larocque, has been made by Justice Abroad, who are the legal representatives of the diamantaire in the UK. Choksi's legal team has urged Caricom to look into the "breach" of the rule of law and has also said that this is "a big test for the political bodies of the Caribbean Community."

According to Dominica News Online, a news outlet in the Caribbean island, Magistrate Pearl Williams on Thursday ordered that Antiguan citizen and businessman Mehul Choksi who is wanted in India for alleged bank fraud, to be remanded at the Dominica State Prison. Choksi was remanded into police custody at the Dominica China Friendship Hospital (DCFH) where he has been a patient since May 29.

Michael Polak, part of the legal team representing Choksi and an expert in providing legal assistance to foreign nationals around the world, said that while "terrible ordeal" for the diamantaire, and "this attack on the rule of law", took place on May 23, the "planning for what was to happen to Choksi occurred much earlier".

According to Antigua News Room, a news outlet in the Caribbean island, it said, "Choksi's application was denied on the basis that he is a flight risk, he has no ties to Dominica and the court cannot impose any conditions that will assure it that he wouldn't abscond." Choksi was represented by Cara Shillingford-Marsh, Wayne Benjamin Marsh, Wayne Norde and Julien Prevost.

The Antigua and Barbuda Cabinet held a brief discussion into Indian fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi's abduction claim, as well as on the decisions rendered by the Magistrate and the High Court of Dominica, local media reported.

Michael Polak, part of the legal team representing Choks, told a virtual news conference that the team has also filed a complaint with the War Crimes Unit of UK's Metropolitan Police on the ground that Choksi was tortured.

An order issued by the Ministry of National Security and Home Affairs on May 25 said, "in accordance to section 5(1)(f) of the Immigration and Passport Act Chapter 18:01 of the 2017 Revised laws of the Commonwealth of Dominica, you, Mehul Chinubhai Choksi, are hereby declared a prohibited immigrant."