Mehul Choksi, an Indian fugitive who has been in Dominica for around two weeks, will today learn if he is to be granted bail by the High Court.
The 62-year-old is wanted by the Indian judicial authorities for allegedly cheating the Punjab National Bank of almost two billion US dollars, India’s largest bank fraud in decades.
The circumstances surrounding the mysterious appearance of the Indian fugitive on a remote beach in Dominica still remains a mystery.
Whilst his attorneys alleged that he was kidnapped, beaten and unwillingly brought to Dominica, the police claim that he entered the shores illegally and have since preferred the charge against him.
According to the charge read to Choksi in court, it is alleged that on May 24, 2021, he did enter Dominica illegally at Toucari Beach.
At the hearing, State Attorney Sherma Dalrymple pleaded with the court to not grant bail to the accused as she deemed him a “flight risk.”
The Prosecutor listed two grounds for her claim which included the fact that Choksi has an Interpol Red Notice against him as he is facing charges for 11 offences in India. Additionally, she revealed that the Antiguan government is currently undergoing court proceedings to have Choksi extradited.
Dalrymple further argued that Choksi has no ties in Dominica hence it would serve him no purpose not to flee the island if bail is granted.
However, one of the defendant’s attorneys, Wayne Norde, refuted the Prosecutor’s grounds for objection and informed the court that the Indian fugitive is not a flight risk considering the condition of his health.
Norde stated that the Interpol Red Notice and the extradition proceeding in the Antiguan court provide more reason for Choksi not to leave Dominica.
He advised the Magistrate that stringent conditions can be added to the fugitive’s bail condition and proposed a bail sum of EC$10,000.00, double the maximum penalty for illegal entry, which Dalrymple asked the court not to consider.
Norde noted that section 4 of the new bail act indicates that a defendant is entitled to bail as a right unless the offence is of a serious nature.
“Various non-nationals in Dominica are on bail for similar matters, so we are of the view that bail can be granted to our client with or without conditions to his bail,” he contended.
The attorney further informed the court that Choksi had no pending criminal matter in Antigua, the country in which he attained citizenship in 2017 but a civil matter which demonstrates that he is of good character.
In handing down her decision, presiding Magistrate Candia Carrette-George sided with the Prosecutor and stated that given the “severity” of the matter, she is not convinced that Choksi will remain in Dominica to attend his trial.
Choksi has been a patient at the Dominica China Friendship Hospital since May 29.
Once discharged from the hospital, if bail is not granted, Choksi will appear before the court every seven days to be remanded until his trial has concluded.
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For some strange reason, my Indian friend says that the majority of scamster’s in India are from a region called Guajarati. They are normally called as “Gujju’s” world over and are extraordinarily canny and creatively stingy. Include names like Nirav Modi, Lalit Modim Malya…etc
Choksi is a true “Gujju”. The flamboyant, super-rich stud in his psyche, gifted a Fake Diamond Ring to his Romania-based mistress.
Yet the Gujju in him, complains that Dominica cops pocketed $1500 that was with him!
What’s more he was tech savvy too, used VPN and Signal Messenger.
As far as USD 1.3 Billion PNB loot is concerned, in the latest revelation from his Romanian girlfriend/mistress, he told her that he is expecting to be in Cuba by August and all the money stash is safely invested in prime real estate across the world, thanks to his well-oiled network that includes connected fixers and powerful politicians on his payroll.
Well, this fugitive, criminal ‘Smoking Gun’ will get a lot of folks in to trouble….in days to come. Perhaps the ‘Gujju’ in him will sign-up a Hollywood movie too!
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