Prime Minister Gaston Browne has announced that Indian billionaire Mehul Choksi will be extradited to Indian once his cases in the court are over.
Choksi has filed a number of appeals to prevent the government from enforcing an extradition request against him.
Speaking on his radio programme on Saturday, Browne said when Choksi was granted citizenship officials in India reported that he had no criminal record “and they did not report that he was wanted for a financial crime so he got through.”
“But the reality is that his citizenship will be revoked and he will be repatriated to India so there is recourse,” he said.
Browne added, “It is not a case where we are choosing to provide any safe harbour for criminals and persons involved in financial crimes.”
He also said he wanted the legal process to take its course before acting.
“I don’t want to go any further, there is due process and he has his matter before the court. As we said to the Indian government the criminals have fundamental rights too,” Browne.
“And Choksi has a right to go to court and defend his position. But I can assure you that after he would have exhausted all his legal options he will be extradited, that’s the reality of it,” the prime minister added.
Choksi, the chairman of the Gitanjali Group, is accused along with his nephew, Nirav Modi, of the alleged crime against the Punjab Nation Bank worth five billion dollars.
In February, a Blue Corner Notice was issued against them both, then in July, Interpol issued a Red Corner Notice against Modi based on money laundering charges levelled by the Enforcement Directorate.
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Thank God! I honestly think that anyone who acquires citizenship through the Citizenship By Investment Program and run afoul of the law should have their citizenship revoked and their passport cancelled. Antigua’s good name is far more important than shielding them. Goodbye Choksi. India …….soon come!
Hey Audley, the concept of revoking citizenship for those who run afoul of the law should apply to all Antigua citizens, not just a small category. If any Antiguan is charged with a crime (even falsely charged) let’s permanently revoke their citizenship. Cool concept indeed.
I agree with you whole heartedly.
So Audley, lets make sure you don’t get any speeding or parking tickets in the future, because your Antiguan citizenship will be revoked.
Just so you know my friend, I am a born Antiguan. Let me be clear though, I would not expect a naturalized Antiguan to be deported to their country of birth for a simple traffic violation….maybe repeated ones. What I mean are those who commit serious crimes in their adopted country.
@ The real Rass man
Now that the PM has been forced to do the obvious, what is your position?
This is a classic example of why singers are harmful to the democratic process.
Never agree with obvious stupidity, in the end you will look foolishit.
The clinic in Villa Park is a horrible idea.
Call out ignorance and praise wise decisions like the proposed purchase of Digicel and Scotia Bank. Not LIAT that will break the country’s piggy bank, that’s a nonsensical idea.
The shares in LIAT should be based on per capita. Each participatory state pays accordingly annually, and any other country that request liat’s services should pay for it ..
Mr PM please allow Dr Dorset earn as much as he can and all outstanding bills are paid before his covert departure.
.
Hmmmm….a guy applies for Antigua citizenship under CIP, passes ALL the background checks after multiple months of due diligence by several organizations, and is officially and legally granted citizenship by our government. Then AFTER he is granted official Antigua citizenship, he is told that his citizenship will be revoked because of white-collar crime charge made AFTER he was granted official citizenship. PS: a white-collar charge being made by a government that is known to be very corrupt, India.
So I guess this means that if a CIP citizen is charged with any crime 1/5/10/20 years later in any country in the world, his/her Antigua citizenship will be revoked? What kind of fake citizenship program is this anyways? Anybody interested in Citizenship by Investment should look elsewhere besides Antigua, look to countries that treat citizenship seriously and constitutionally. Why would anybody apply to be a citizen of a country that revokes citizenship after it is legally and officially granted? Dumb.
Based on this logic, anybody who applies for Antigua CIP citizenship better be the most perfect human in the world for their entire life, because if they EVER do anything wrong (even falsely charged) for the rest of their lives, their citizenship will be revoked by the Antigua government. What a joke of a citizenship program! No wonder Antigua’s CIP applications are falling.
Antigua’s CIP is failing yes, but not for the reason you gave. Bear in mind it was failing BEFORE the PM made this announcement.
The program is failing because it is lacking in direction and focus.
Unlike other government business the CIP has to earn its keep so installing political hacks (as done with other institutions) who lack the requisite background knowledge and skill sets is a recipe for failure.
When the CIP had leadership who challenged the political directorate (even publicly) on policy and direction the applications were poring in. Now that leadership has been replaced by yes men and political aspirants whose priorities are personal political advancement you get exactly what you bargained for.
Like the old adage goes, if two people always agree one of is unnecessary.
Word is spreading around globally that Antigua’s CIP does not actually give full citizenship rights and that is the real reason why Antigua’s CIP program applications are falling. Can you imagine becoming an Antigua citizen via CIP and then for the rest of your life you have to worry (everyday) about whether your Antigua citizenship will be revoked by your newly adopted government just because of one allegation made against you by any country in the world, at any point in the future?
People who want to immigrate to the Caribbean via CIP should really look to other countries like Dominica and St. Kitts, at least in those places they treat CIP citizens as real citizens. Also, the U.S. treats its Greed Card investors with more respect than Antigua treats its own CIP citizens. I am no fan of Choksi, but his case raises serious constitutional questions revolving around the revocation of citizenship of a Antigua’s CIP citizen for charges levied by a foreign government AFTER Antigua citizenship is granted.
Either CIP citizens are 100% equal to those born/naturalized in Antigua, or they aren’t! If they are not, then Antigua’s CIP program, laws and the constitution needs to be updated to CLEARLY say as such – the government should openly say so as well in parliament. This way, CIP citizens know where they truly stand.
“But I can assure you that after he would have exhausted all his legal options he will be extradited”….. Mr PM that comment appears to suggest that you do not think he can win….because he may just win the last go to Privy Council.
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