Priti Choksi's Statement And Ten Recent Developments In Mehul Choksi Case

Mehul Choksi Case: A fugitive Indian businessman, was arrested in Dominica after he had reportedly fled from Antigua and Barbuda where he held citizenship. He is a wanted criminal in India for crimes of criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, cheating and dishonesty including delivery of property, corruption, and money laundering.

An arrest warrant had been issued in the Mehul Choksi case, the fugitive Indian businessman who owns retail jewellery firm Gitanjali Group, after it was filed by Punjab National Bank in 2018 against him and his nephew Nirav Modi for money fraud.

Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi had fled India in the first week of January 2018 weeks before ₹ 13,500 crore scam in Punjab National Bank (PNB) shook the Indian banking industry.

In a latest update, ever since Choksi made claims that he was kidnapped, The Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda has started investigations into the allegation. Choksi's lawyers gave the names of people involved in the alleged abduction to the police commissioner in a complaint, the Antigua News Room reported.

Here are ten recent developments you should know about the Mehul Choksi case:

1. Mehul Choksi was arrested in Dominica on May 26 after he had fled away from Antigua and Barbuda where he holds citizenship since 2018.
2. The Prime Minister of Antigua reported that he was on a vacation with his girlfriend Barbara Jabarica in Dominica where he was held captive.
3. Priti Choksi, the wife of Mehul Choksi, stated that the woman was known to his husbands and his allies. She said that the woman visited her husband when he was in Antigua.
4. She also remarked that her 63-year-old husband had been dealing with bad mental and physical health since he was being tortured in Dominica. “If someone really wanted him back alive, why did they need to torture and abuse him physically and mentally? My husband has many health issues,” she said.
5. Priti also said that she had faith in the rule of law of Antigua and the Caribbean nations stating that he was a citizen of Antigua and his rights will be protected under the Antigua law. “He is 63 years old and he is an Antigua citizen. He enjoys all the rights and protection that the Antigua and Barbuda constitution gives him. I have full faith in the rule of law and the justice system of the Caribbean nations,” Priti said.
6. The Antigua Prime Minister also remarked that they comply with their stand on the Mehul Choksi case as well as the request to Dominica to extradite Choksi back to India as promised to the Indian government.
7. The Antigua Prime Minister also said according to news agency ANI that Choksi had changed his lawyer who had promised to protect him. They want Choksi to be brought back to Antigua where he can be protected under his citizenship rights.
8. Associates Times cited sources that prove that Choksi’s brother had been funding the campaigns of the opposition leader of Antigua in exchange for backing his abduction story.
9. The sources reported that Chetan Chinu Bhai Choksi, his brother had bribed the opposition leader with an amount of USD 200,000 and promised more than million-dollar assistance for his campaigns in return for statements favouring Mehul Choksi case before the Dominican government.
10. According to reports, an eight-member team reached Dominica for the hearing of extradition of Choksi on Saturday. The team includes two members each from MEA, CBI and ED along with two CRPF commandos.

In June, Choksi filed a complaint against Jabarica in Dominica, alleging that while he had known her for a year, he suspected her involvement in his abduction as she didn't try to "help" him. "She was friendly with my staff. I used to go for walks with her. On May 23, 2021 she requested me to pick her up from her house," reads Choksi's complaint, adding further that when he reached at her residence on the day of the alleged kidnapping she invited him in, following which he was abducted by eight to ten "muscled" men claiming to be from Antiguan police department.

He accused the alleged abductors of overpowering him, beating and tasering him on his face, hands and exposed skin, causing burns. He also accused them of taking his cell phone, Rolex watch and wallet. "During this entire ordeal, Ms Jabarica did not even attempt to help me or assist in any way by calling for help from outside. In fact the manner in which she conducted herself by not helping me and her subsequent lack of initiative in contacting the police clearly shows that she was an integral part of this entire scheme to kidnap me," he added, as per NDTV.