This Article is From Jun 15, 2021

Dominica Court Adjourns Mehul Choksi's Illegal Entry Case Hearing Till June 25

On Monday, the Dominican court was to start hearing the case of Mehul Choksi's "illegal entry" into the country on May 23 but he was a "no show", a media website reported.

Dominica Court Adjourns Mehul Choksi's Illegal Entry Case Hearing Till June 25

The court asked authorities to present Mehul Choksi on June 17 for further remand (File))

New Delhi:

A Dominica Magistrate Court has adjourned till June 25 the hearing into alleged illegal entry of fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi into the Caribbean island nation, local media reported.

On Monday, the Magistrate Court was to start hearing the case of Choksi's "illegal entry" into the country on May 23 but he was a "no show", a media website Natureislenews reported.

His legal team submitted a medical certificate from the doctors of Dominica China Friendship Hospital, where Choksi is being held, of "mental stress" and elevated blood pressure.

Chief Magistrate Carette-George adjourned the matter to June 25 and ordered to keep Choksi, wanted in the Rs 13,500 crore Punjab National Bank scam case, under police watch at the hospital.

He also asked authorities to present Choksi before the court on June 17 for further remand.

Choksi's lawyer in London, Michael Polak, issued a statement on Monday claiming new evidence has emerged which shows that Barbara Jabarica, the woman with whom the diamantaire was last seen, sought booking of an accommodation with a jetty.

He alleged Barbara Jabarica, who is suspected to be part of Choksi's "kidnapping" from Antigua, had enquired about a neighbouring property too, which was booked by a UK-based company.

Mr Polak issued two videos showing a small boat which, he alleged, was used to transport a gagged and beaten Choksi to open seas where he was transferred to a bigger boat to be taken to Dominica.

Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi had fled India in January 2018 weeks before the PNB scam case rocked the Indian banking industry.

Nirav Modi escaped to Europe and was finally arrested in London where he is contesting his extradition to India, while Choksi took citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda in 2017 where he was staying since his escape from Delhi.

Choksi, 62, had mysteriously gone missing on May 23 from Antigua and Barbuda, where he was staying since 2018 as a citizen, since he fled India.

He was detained in neighbouring island country Dominica on May 23 for illegal entry.

His lawyers alleged that he was kidnapped from Jolly Harbour in Antigua by policemen looking like Antiguans and Indians and brought to Dominica on a boat.

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