Mehul Choksi accuses Indian agencies of kidnapping him

By

Isabelle Crossley

Published
Jul 19, 2021

After being granted interim bail by Dominican authorities, jewellery tycoon accused of fraud Mehul Choksi has accused Indian authorities of kidnapping him as part of the ongoing Punjab National Bank case. 

 
Choksi had said he was kidnapped when he was found in Dominica and was accused of entering the country illegally. The jeweller is now accusing Indian authorities of orchestrating taking him from Antigua, where he resides, to Dominica with the aim of more easily extraditing him to India to stand trial.  
 
“I am back home but this torture has left permanent scars on my psychology and physically, rather permanent scars on my soul,” said Choksi, Asia News International reported. “I couldn't imagine after closing all my business and seizing all my properties, a kidnapping attempt would be made on me by Indian agencies.”

Choksi moved to Antigua and took citizenship there through the investment route just before news of the alleged fraud broke in the press. While residing there, Choksi told Indian authorities that he could not travel to India to assist with the PNB fraud investigation due to medical reasons. As Choksi has given up his Indian citizenship, extraditing him to India from Antigua is a lengthy process, despite the cooperation from Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne.
 
Choksi said that is was considering travelling to India to prove his innocence but was unable to do so due to his medical condition and fears for his safety.

“Many times, I told agencies to visit here to interrogate me as, due to health issues, I was not able to travel anymore,” Choksi told ANI. “I was always available for co-operation with the agency but this inhuman abrasion kidnapping was never expected by me.”