Mehul Choksi's Legal Fight Gets Tougher As Dominica Declares Him 'Prohibited Immigrant', Orders Removal

The Dominican National Security and Home Affairs ministry has issued a notice declaring Mehul CHoksi a prohibited immigrant, and directed the police to "remove him from the Commonwealth of Dominica" in keeping with the law

New Delhi: It seems fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi’s legal battle to prevent his extradition is getting tougher as the Dominican government has declared him as a 'prohibited immigrant'.

In fact, the Dominican National Security and Home Affairs ministry has directed the police to take necessary action to remove Choksi from Dominica as per the procedure.

On the other hand, his lawyer Vijay Aggarwal has claimed last week that Choksi did not enter Dominica illegally and the police cannot arrest him as he is not a "prohibted immigrant".

The ministry has also issued a notice declaring Mehul Choksi a prohibited immigrant on May 25. The ministry also directed the police to "remove him from the Commonwealth of Dominica" in keeping with the procedure laid out in Section 5(1) (1) of the Immigration and Passport Act.

"By powers vested in me in accordance with Immigration & Passport Act of 2017 revised laws of Dominica, Mehul Choksi is declared a prohibited immigrant. Necessary action is taken to have him removed from here," Dominica's National Security & Home Affairs Ministry stated in order dated May 25.

The ministry had sent a separate notice to Choksi on the same day, informing the businessman that he is "not permitted to enter Dominica".

Choksi along with his nephew Nirav Modi is accused in the Rs 13,500 crore Punjab National Bank fraud case. India had already presented its case to enable extradition and present evidence of Choksi's financial fraud to Dominica and urged the country to clear his deportation.

Meanwhile, his rumoured girlfriend Barbara Jarabica revealed their relationship status while throwing light into the abduction theory.

Barbara Jarabica has now come out openly about this entire alleged abduction claims and divulged information about his plan of visiting Cuba. She has refuted the claims of abduction saying, “No one contacted me. There was no sign of abduction and I said in other interviews, for people who know Jolly Harbour area, it's impossible to kidnap anyone there, in the safest place, family area,”: Barbara Jabarica told ANI when asked if any Indian besides Mehul Choksi, was in touch with her.

(With Agency Inputs)