Mehul Choksi sent to state prison in Dominica, but to remain in hospital: his lawyer

A magisterial court in Dominica on Thursday transferred businessman Mehul Choksi from police custody to a state prison, his lawyer in India said, but added that he will remain in hospital as his medical condition “worsens”. Advocate Vijay Agarwal said, “Yes, (Choksi’s) police custody has been changed to jail custody, but he will remain in the hospital as his condition has worsened.” His legal team had submitted a medical certificate of “mental stress” and high blood pressure from doctors at the Dominica China Friendship Hospital, where Choksi is undergoing treatment. The change in custody is being seen as a ray of hope for India, which has approached the Dominica High Court seeking to be a party to the case filed by Choksi’s lawyers, whose bail plea was rejected earlier. Choksi is wanted in India in connection with a loan fraud of about Rs 13,500 crore in state-run Punjab National Bank. The CBI and the Ministry of External Affairs have filed two affidavits in the Dominica High Court seeking the implication of Choksi in the habeas corpus case seeking his return to Antigua and Barbuda, officials said here. He said the central agency may focus on establishing Choksi’s criminal culpability, fugitive status, pending warrants, red notices and charge sheets against him, while the Ministry of External Affairs would argue that Choksi would continue to be an Indian citizen. He said that if the affidavit is accepted by the High Court, So the way will be paved for Harish Salve, a well-known lawyer representing India’s case in Dominica. The latest development indicates that India has a chance to make a legal effort to bring the fugitive diamond merchant back to the country and face trial. The CBI on Wednesday filed a supplementary charge sheet against him, alleging that he had prior knowledge of the ensuing Enforcement Directorate (ED) inquiry against him in 2017 due to which he planned to flee India and provided evidence. Covered his tracks by hiding. CBI in its supplementary charge sheet has invoked section 201 of IPC which deals with destruction of evidence by a suspect under criminal conspiracy, among other charges. Choksi had been admitted to the Dominica China Friendship Hospital since May 29, after being caught by the Caribbean island country’s authorities for “illegal entry” on May 24. The allegation made by him was denied. His lawyers in Dominica have argued that Choksi was deported to Antigua and Barbuda, where as a citizen he has the right to approach the British Privy Council as a last resort in matters of his citizenship and extradition, where these rights are not available to them. . “The aim was to deport him from Antigua to Dominica, undermining his protection under the law. Choksi has proceedings going on in Antigua regarding the Prime Minister’s attempts to remove his citizenship, the only citizenship he held and extradite him to India,” his lawyer had said. . Where as a citizen he has the right to approach the British Privy Council as a last resort in matters of his citizenship and extradition where these rights are not available to him. . “The aim was to deport him from Antigua to Dominica, undermining his protection under the law. Choksi has proceedings going on in Antigua regarding the Prime Minister’s attempts to remove his citizenship, the only citizenship he held and extradite him to India,” his lawyer had said. . Where as a citizen he has the right to approach the British Privy Council as a last resort in matters of his citizenship and extradition where these rights are not available to him. . “The aim was to remove him from Antigua to Dominica, undermining his protection under the law. Choksi has proceedings going on in Antigua regarding the Prime Minister’s attempts to remove his citizenship, the only citizenship he held and extradite him to India,” his lawyer had said. . His lawyer had said. . His lawyer had said. .