Dominica LoP bats for Mehul Choksi again; demands his repatriation to Antigua & Barbuda

Even as Mehul Choksi's legal woes persist, Dominica's Leader of Opposition Lennox Linton demanded the fugitive diamantaire's repatriation to Antigua and Barbuda. In a new statement issued on Thursday, Linton claimed that Dominica is facing "embarrassment" in the international community owing to his government's collusion in the "abduction" of Choksi. While the PNB scam accused's lawyers alleged that he was kidnapped, beaten and unwillingly brought to Dominica on May 23, the authorities have charged him illegally entering the country via Toucarie Bay.

In a vindication of India's stance, both the Magistrate court and the Dominican High Court have rejected Mehul Choksi's bail petition. However, Linton stated, "His alleged misdemeanours in India notwithstanding. it is crime against humanity to violently remove Mr.Choksi from his constitutional rights and rule of law protection in one part of the ECSC (Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court) jurisdiction to another part for the benefit of those who want to short-circuit the extradition proceedings for his return to India". Moreover, he asserted that a Red Corner Notice is not an international arrest warrant.

Incidentally, this is not the first time that Linton is being perceived as endorsing Mehul Choksi. As per Caribbean news outlet Associates Times, Chetan Chinubhai Choksi asked Linton to issue statements in the favour of his brother in lieu of the 2,00,000 dollars token amount and funding for the upcoming general election. Speaking to Republic TV thereafter, he dubbed this as "fake news" and clarified that he did not know the PNB scam accused personally or his family for that matter. However, suspicion arose after he was spotted inside the courtroom during Choksi's hearing in the Dominican HC. 

Mehul Choksi remanded to judicial custody

Mehul Choksi secured the citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda in November 2017 under the aegis of the Citizenship by Investment Programme and fled to the island nation in the first week of January 2018. While India formally sought Choksi's extradition in August 2018, Browne commenced the process of revoking his citizenship on October 14, 2019. The Mehul Choksi citizenship issue gained traction again after he was reported "missing" on May 23 after going out for dinner.

4 days later, the Dominican government issued an official statement confirming that the fugitive had been detained for illegal entry into the country. Thereafter, the Antigua and Barbuda PM refused to accept him back and held that the PNB scam accused can be repatriated to India on being declared persona non grata by Dominica. Technically in judicial custody, Choksi is still admitted to the Dominica China Friendship Hospital.