The UK lawyer of the fugitive diamond merchant has accused India of masterminding the ‘unlawful rendition’ of Mehul Choksi from Antigua to Dominica in order to remove his right to appeal to Privy Council.
He also claimed to have evidence that the Hungarian national who last saw Choksi in Antigua had specifically booked two villas, with specific directions to have a dock for a small boat.
In a video press conference, Michael Polack described himself as part of the legal team representing Choksi in the UK, where they have filed a complaint with the Metropolitan Police and names four UK residents.
“What has happened to Mehul Choksi has been terrible. He was lured into a property, kidnapped, a bag placed over his head, beaten, forced onto a boat, and unlawfully renditioned into another country,” he stated.
The complaint has been filed with Metropolitan Police’s war crimes unit, specifically under section 134 of the criminal justice act that provides universal jurisdiction in cases dealing with torture, Polack claimed.
Mehul Choksi and his nephew, Nirav Modi, are wanted in India for defrauding state-run Punjab National Bank for Rs 13,500 crore. Modi is currently in a British jail, where he is contesting the UK government’s green light to extradite him to India.
Choksi took up Antigua and Barbuda’s citizenship in 2017, ahead of fleeing India for the Caribbean nation.
He went missing on May 23 from Antigua and was then arrested in neighbouring Dominica for illegal entry. Choksi, through his lawyers, also filed a complaint in Dominica claiming that he was abducted, which is currently under investigation.
Polack stated that the motivation to remove Choksi was obvious. “You have someone in a country where they enjoy the right to appeal any application to remove their citizenship or remove them from Antigua all the way up to the privy council, and then they are kidnapped. The motive really speaks for itself,” he told reporters.
Choksi is fighting a legal case against the Antiguan government’s move to remove his citizenship and extradite him to India.
In Antigua, the final court of appeal is the Queen’s Privy Council. However, Dominica discarded this process and appointed the Eastern Caribbean States Supreme Court as its apex judicial appellate body.
“India obviously wanted to remove Mr Choksi to India. Had he signed the piece of paper, he would already be there. Then there was an Indian plane in Dominica soon after, that shows what was really going on there,” he said.
The UK lawyer claimed that Choksi was not allowed access to legal representation for three days in Dominica. During that period, he asserted, Choksi was told to sign a document which he was told was about sending him back to Antigua. However, since Choksi did not see the word, ‘Antigua’, in the paper, Polack stated that he suspected that the form was “going to be used to say he agreed to be transported back to India”.
During the press conference, he also showed what he claimed were exchanges between Barbara Jarabik, the Hungarian woman who last met Choksi, and the manager of the Airbnb that she rented in Antigua.
Jarabik reportedly booked two adjoining villas, with one of them used by the men who kidnapped and assaulted Choksi, claimed the British lawyer.
He also pointed that in her message before renting the villa, she was specifically insistent that the property should have a dock suitable for a small boat.
The lawyer claimed that Jarabik had travelled together with at least one of the accused men to Antigua in April, which the former said was a “dress rehearsal”. She also left for Dominica on a private plane with the same man on the evening of May 23, he alleged.
Choksi has claimed that Jarabik had asked him to meet at around 5 pm on May 23. The diamond merchant alleged that he was forced onto a small boat at her place, which then took him to an awaiting larger vessel at sea.
To a question whether Choksi is also answerable for his crimes in India, Polack said that it was “important for ordinary citizens to realise that due process applies”.
“We do not act by kidnapping people. That’s not how things are done. He had currently cases in Antigua, and he was taken away from the protection of the privy council there. What should happen is that proper process should take place in Antigua,” he stated.
[The Wire]
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He should have used a legal and proper process in generating wealth.
Another question is who is assisting them in Antigua .
Who did the due diligence for Choksi?.
All will be reveal in time also as to who really kill Nigel Christian.
Who hire the killers and kidnppers.
Where is the outrage that a foreign country would conduct that type of operation in not one but two Caribbean country
Where is the so called Attorney General . All of this is under his portfolio if he says nothing on these matters then why speak on anything ever again .
The ignorance on this platforrm is mind boggling but not surprising .
This has nothing to do with sending him back but a violation and respect of International and Local laws , Judicial process including Maritime .
Wait how much Lawyer Choksi had?
He has a Dominican lawyer in Antigua
He has an Antiguan lawyer in Dominica
Lawyers in India
Lawyers in the UK
When you’re a thief you surround yourself with lawyers in the event you need them. First rule you Learn in Criminal Behavior 101. That’s what a good criminal does. L
Can run but you can’t hide. Even if he wasn’t “kidnapped”, he would’ve had to pay the piper at some point. If Alan Stanford had to answer to his charges and so many others, then so must he.
This doesn’t look good for little Antigua and Barbuda. Lord Jesus he us!
Choksi’s UK Lawyer: ‘India Is Behind Kidnapping, Girlfriend Had Specifically Hired Villa With Dock’
India.
What’s this talk about a “girlfriend”? I thought he was a married family man with values and principles? What is going on here???? We want the whole truth. They say the “girlfriend”(?) is a Hungarian, but in the picture she look Black to me????????? This whole soap opera needs to come to an end, and let the sick fella go back to India. He must be longing for home, sweet home.
I am just wondering how much money may have been paid by people who want Choksi badly, to people in Antigua and Dominica. Because Antigua and Dominica are governed by friendly red shirt parties does not mean that the world is not governed by laws.
Does Antigua have an AG? His silence is deafening. What is this guy being paid? Just another useless labour politician. Has he ever contributed to any legal argument?
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