Mehul Choksi can be deported to India from Dominica, says ex-CBI director AP Singh

New Delhi: Fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi can be deported from Dominica as he has no legal rights there, said former Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) director AP Singh. 

"It is possible for Dominica to deport Mehul Choksi to India as he has no legal rights in Dominica. But he alleged before the court that he was kidnapped and brought to a third country (Dominica) against his will. Now the court will decide his deportation,” ANI quoted Singh as saying.

The former CBI director further told the news agency that if the court found that Choksi was abducted and forcibly taken to Dominica, then he would be deported to Antigua. 

“If Dominican court found that Choksi was kidnapped and forcibly taken to Dominica, he'd be deported to Antigua as his country of origin,” he said. 

Choksi’s lawyers have alleged that the businessman was abducted, beaten up and taken to Dominica from Antigua, where has been living since 2018. 

Meanwhile, India has sent a team of multi-agency officials led by a CBI DIG to Dominica, ahead of a Caribbean court hearing on Choksi’s case on Wednesday (June 2). The team comprising of two members of the CBI and officials of the other agencies are in Dominica. They will argue that Choksi continues to be an Indian citizen with an Interpol Red Notice against him.

Earlier, pictures of Choksi emerged from police custody in Dominica which showed him with red swollen eyes and body marks.

Choksi is a key accused in the Rs 13,000 crore Punjab and National Bank (PNB) loan fraud case and is wanted in India on bank fraud charges, criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust and money laundering.

(With inputs from agencies)

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