Mehul Choksi case: Dominica High Court adjourns hearing, next date not fixed

Choksi, accused in the Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case, is a citizen of Antigua. (File image)

The Dominica High Court on June 3 adjourned the hearing in the extradition case of fugitive Indian diamantaire Mehul Choksi. The 62-year-old would remain in Dominica till further orders.

The court has not yet fixed the next date of hearing, but News 18, citing inputs received from Dominican scribes, reported that the hearing may take place on July 1.

The Dominican Public Prosecution Service has reportedly appealed to the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court in the High Court of Justice Commonwealth to approve Choksi's extradition to India. The defence counsel, however, has  argued that he must be repatriated to Antigua and not India, as he accepted the citizenship of former in 2017.

Both sides would file their detailed submissions before the court, the reports said.

Earlier in the day, the Antiguan Cabinet noted that it prefers Choksi to be directly repatriated to India. "Choksi has become Dominica's problem at this time. If he finds himself in Antigua, the problem reverts to Antigua and Barbuda. The preference of the Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda is for Choksi to be repatriated to India from Dominica," it said.

Also Read | India steadfast in resolve to bring fugitives back to country: MEA on Mehul Choksi issue

On June 2, Choksi's bail plea was rejected by a magistrate court in Dominica. He was detained by the authorities on May 25, and charged with "illegal entry" into the island nation.

In a statement issued on May 27, the Dominican home ministry suggested that Choksi would be repatriated to Antigua after details related to his citizenship in the neighbouring country is verified.

Hours later, however, the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court in the High Court of Justice Commonwealth of Dominica restrained the Dominican government from extraditing Choksi and asked the police to allow him to meet his legal counsel.

Also Read | First picture of Mehul Choksi from Dominica jail surfaces, shows him with injury marks

Choksi, who was staying in the neighbouring Antigua and Barbuda since 2018, "mysteriously" went missing on May 23. Two days later, he was "caught" in Dominica, after allegedly attempting to enter the country via the sea route using a yacht.

Gaston Browne, the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, said he has learnt that Choksi was on a romantic trip to Dominica with a "girlfriend". He told news agency ANI that Antigua does not want to accept him back, and has urged the Dominical counterparts to "directly extradite him to India".

Choksi's legal counsel has alleged that he was "picked up" at Jolly Harbour in Antigua and Barbuda by men looking like Indian and Antiguan policemen and was put in a vessel.

Choksi, along with his nephew Nirav Modi, fled India in early 2018, days before his name propped as the main accused in a fraudulent loan scam which defrauded the state-run Punjab National Bank (PNB) to the tune of Rs 13,500 crore.