ASIAN AGE: Hitting back at Opposition United Progressive Party (UPP) for supporting Mehul Choksi, Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne on Saturday accused it of supporting fugitive diamantaire in order to secure campaign funding.
“After mischievously accusing my administration of harbouring Mehul Choksi, who has an Interpol Red Notice, they are now seeking to sanitize this fugitive to get campaign funding. My administration’s revocation of Choksi’s citizenship has been frustrated by a litigation brought against the state,” Gaston Browne said in a statement.
He further said: “We are determined to revoke Choksi’s citizenship and to concurrently pursue his extradition to India to face criminal charges there. There has been no violation of Choksi’s legal and constitutional protections, despite the decision of my administration to revoke his citizenship.”
United Progressive party reminded Prime Minister Gaston Browne that every citizen is entitled to constitutional protection and due process of law.
UPP in a press release noted that Choksi, who is facing extradition to India by way of the normal legal and constitutional process, alleges that he was abducted and taken against his will to Dominica.
Prime Minister Browne had indicated that Dominica should deport Choksi directly to India and not return him to Antigua and Barbuda because he would be protected by the Constitutional rights.
Asserting that the country fully respects the jurisdiction of the court over this matter, Browne kept on saying that in a globalized world where cooperation among states is required to fight and defeat criminals and to deny criminals the use of the state apparatus for protection and advancement of their criminal conduct.
“We live in a globalized world where cooperation among states is required to fight and defeat criminals and to deny criminals the use of the state apparatus for protection and advancement of their criminal conduct. That is precisely why we have and continue to encourage the government of Dominica, to make him persona non grata for illegally entering their country and to deport him to India where he is still a citizen.”
The Prime Minister further urged to consider the deportation of Choksi directly to India, as a form of state cooperation to apprehend a fugitive.
“We respect the jurisdiction of the court over this matter. My request on behalf of the state, for Dominica to consider deporting Choksi directly to India, as a form of state cooperation to apprehend a fugitive, is perfectly acceptable,” he said.
“This request for state cooperation could never be construed by any law-abiding entity, of integrity and legitimate purpose to be an “ill considered utterance,” he said, adding “additionally the claim that the request undermines the rule of law, or Choksi’s constitutional rights is preposterous.”
If he (Mehul Choksi) is deported to Antigua, he will continue to enjoy the legal and constitutional protections of citizenship, he said further.
Browne last week said that if Choksi flees the country his citizenship will be revoked.
The UPP earlier in the day accused Browne of ‘corrupting the rule of law’ referring to Browne’s request to the Dominican authorities to send Choksi to India directly and not repatriate him to Antigua and Barbados.
“It was the Gaston Browne administration that granted citizenship to Choksi. As inconvenient and embarrassing as it may be for the government, Choksi is a citizen of Antigua and Barbuda – not India,” the UPP said in a statement.
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I find it hard to believe the Brother Harry would be involved in all of this in any way, shape, or form. Harry knows better than that, or at least he should. Well over 95% of the poeple want that Chouski guy out of here for all time. By the way, where did he get that name “Chowski”? That doesn’t sound Indian. It sounds Russian, or something like that. Somebody enlighten us, please.
So, that is exactly how Gaston Browne and the labor party operates. There must always be a kickback. For something as simple as interpreting the constitution, a kickback is expected.
Think about it. Since Yida signed an MOU with the Gaston Browne’s Antigua labor party prior to the 2014 election, imagine the amount of money Yida contributed to finance their election campaign and beyond
ANU with the YIDA example you don’t need more compelling evidence than that. I am sure the ALP tried to get money out of Choksi, but Gaston is now trying to point fingers at others.
Just like his secret vaccination, the PM is obviously lying here. Something definitely fishy going on. If anyone really knows what is happening here can you please post it in the comments? I know it won’t do anything about the corruption I’m just keen to know what is really happening behind the scenes here
The PM thinks that everybody is as devious and corrupt just like him. He needs to find God so that he can change from his wicked ways.
This Choksi stunned India and the world when it was discovered that he had fraudulent transactions worth $1.77 billion at a single branch of a bank in Mumbai.
It is a shame that we have given refuge to such a mega criminal and fugitive.
What is worse is that while Gaston Browne would have mined this fat boy in the past, now Harold Lovell seems to have a sudden love for this scamster.
Pls pack him off from our soil ASAP.
EDWIN have you ever heard of the principle of the Rule of Law. Gaston Browne wants to throw that principle out if the window and throw Choksi under the bus. Choksi is a citizen of Antigua and Barbuda and is entitled to the protection of the law. Instead of Gaston trying to find out how the hell an Antiguan citizen was abducted from the shores of Antigua, no he is not concerned about that. That is the concern of Harold Lovell, the UPP and all rational thinking Antiguan and Barbudan. Only God alone knows Gaston’s reasons for behaving so irrationally and unstatemanlike.
Politicians and rulers in the Caribbean region have historically been corrupt.
Which is the reason why Antigua, Barbuda, Dominica..etc have become safe heaven for all the money launderer’s, criminal’s, fugitive’s and scamsters from the world over!
Despite crocodile tears from the most-opportunistic opposition leaders, this Choksi crook must be made persona-non-grata and deported directly to India.
CHOKSI is the UPP love affair. Before UPP said CHOKSI was the worst Person.in Antigua. Now UPP is protecting CHOKSI. Choski can do no wrong for.UPP. UPP is a HYPOCRITICAL PARTY.
Since when IAN.MAGIC HUGHES is REPRESENTING UPP. This is the type of characters the UPP attract. IAN HUGHES is an EXCONVICT. What a shame.
Gaston Browne,you seem to know all about Choksi. UPP securing campaign funding from Choksi. Did Choksi whom you never met told you so. How much did Choksi,PLH and Yida give to your ABLP campaign in 2018? Keep on talking,for your mouth is going to be your Waterloo.
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