'Dominica Agrees To Directly Repatriate Fugitive Diamantaire Mehul Choksi To India', Says Antigua PM

Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne said Choksi made a monumental error by skipping island, and efforts will be made to have him repatriated to India

Fugitive Diamantaire Mehul Choksi (File Photo)

New Delhi: In the latest update, fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi, who has been held by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Dominica after he missing in Antigua and Barbuda will be repatriated to India.

Speaking to ABP News, Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne said that Choksi will be repatriated to India, and Indian authorities are in touch with those in Dominica.

The businessman has been captured on Tuesday night (local time) after an Interpol Yellow Notice was issued by Antigua and Barbuda. Choksi was caught during a manhunt that was launched after he went missing on Sunday.

In fact, the report has mentioned Browne saying that Dominica has agreed repatriation and Antigua will not accept him back. Choksi had been living in Antigua but he fled the country on Sunday.  Also, Browne informed that Choksi may have entered the island illegally and most likely by boats, and the Dominican government, is offering cooperation with Antiguan and Indian governments. The PM has insisted on the businessman not to be returned back to Antigua where he has legal and constitutional rights as a citizen. 

"We have requested Dominican law enforcement agencies to not return him to Antigua where he has legal and constitutional rights as a citizen. We specifically requested them to have Indian law enforcement agencies to make necessary arrangements to have him returned directly to India," Browne said.

On repatriation, Browne said: "I am pretty sure. I am not aware that he is a citizen of Dominica and that he'd have enjoyed any constitutional protection, so on that basis it will be easy for Dominica to deport him."

"Dominica has agreed (for Mehul Choksi's repatriation). We'll not accept him back. He made a monumental error by skipping the island. Dominican govt and law enforcement are cooperating and we have informed Indian government to have him repatriated to India," he said. "We have requested that he be detained and to make arrangements with the Dominican govt to have him returned to India," he told ABP.

The Antigua PM also thanked PM Modi for providing vaccines to the country and extended support towards India as the country is battling the second Covid wave.

Choksi, an accused in the multi-million-rupee fraud case along with his nephew Nirav Modi, was last seen going for dinner in his car in Antigua and Barbuda on Sunday. He obtained his citizenship for Antigua and Barbuda via the citizenship by investment programme.