A special court here on Thursday rejected a plea filed by diamantaire Mehul Choksi, a key accused in the multi-crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam, seeking its direction to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to question him in Antigua, where he is currently based.
Choksi had last month filed the plea before the special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court seeking its direction to the central agency to probe him in the Carribean nation, saying he was not fit to travel to India.
In the petition, Choksi had also pleaded that he be allowed to appear before the court through video conferencing till he is medically fit to travel to India.
He also said in the plea that he left India for a medical treatment abroad and not to avoid prosecution in the case.
Due to the medical condition, it will be ‘unbearable’, ‘intolerable’, ‘unmanageable’ and difficult for him to travel, he had said in the petition, which also said that doctors had ‘cautioned’ him against such travel.
However, his plea was rejected by special PMLA court judge V C Barde.
Appearing on behalf of Choksi, his lawyers Vijay Aggarwal and Ashul Agarwal on Thursday filed two applications before the court.
In one of the applications, Choksi raised the objection that the documents submitted by the ED to the court do not comply the provisions of the Indian Evidence Act.
It also said that most of the documents being relied upon by the central agency are mere photocopies, which cannot be read against Choksi.
The court is presently hearing the ED’s plea to declare Choksi a fugitive economic offender (FEO) under the newly-promulgated FEO Act.
Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi, who is currently in a London jail, are wanted by the ED and the CBI for allegedly defrauding the PNB to the tune of Rs 13,400 crore in collusion with a few employees of the state-run lender. PTI AVI NP NP
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Wait he still here? All the Indian government have to do is a charter a flight for him that will needs refuel in england after leaving Antigua. No need for him to get off the plane and stock it out with IV fluids doctors and other medications for him
Choksi is innocent. Do research online and you’ll see he is a victim of a political persecution. I’m glad our Antigua government is protecting his legal and civil rights. India government has a bad reputation right now.
Put him on a boat….by now he would have already arrived.
ANTIGUA – CURRENTLY BASED? – IMPROPER USE OF LANGUAGE
Still believe they are kidding to write that Mehul Choski is ‘…in Antigua where he is currently based’ [First Paragraph].
From a professional perspective, ‘…no alleged fugitive from justice’ is ever ‘…Based’ anywhere, be it ‘…Antigua and Barbuda’ or elsewhere.
Put in its universal law enforcement language, ‘…where he has sought haven and hiding out from criminal prosecution and possible incarceration.
Hide Choski.
Hide and let them catch you how they can.
It’s time to get that guy outta here. He’s an embarrassment to the nation. He must “face the music” in India. No more delays. Just go!!!!!!!! Antiguans are tired of this mess.
It’s not a mess. He is our fellow Antigua citizen and is entitled to due process and is entitled to the presumption of innocence. He is being politically persecuted because he donated money to the opposition political party in India. He’s innocent.
Our Antigua government must protect Choksi and protect his basic civil rights.
It is clear from the photo that he indeed is “NOT FIT”….
“to travel” is another thing.
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