High Court grants bail to Indian fugitive

ROSEAU (CMC):

A High Court judge on Monday granted India-born Antigua and Barbuda citizen Mehul Choksi EC$10,000 (one EC dollar=US$0.37 cents) bail so as to allow him to travel to Antigua and Barbuda for medical treatment

Choksi, 62, who has been held in remand at the Dominica China Friendship Hospital, has pleaded not guilty to the charge of illegally entering the island in late May, claiming that he had been kidnapped in Antigua and taken here on May 23.

Choksi is also wanted by the Indian authorities in relation to a US-multibillion-dollar bank fraud, a charge he has denied.

One of his attorneys, Julian Prevost, said Justice Bernie Stephenson had agreed to the request of the defence after hearing arguments filed by both parties in the matter.

He said that the High Court had taken into consideration that Dominica does not have the medical services which his client requires.

He said the judge had granted bail so Choksi could travel to Antigua and Barbuda.

“He has to return to Dominica to hear his matter of illegal entry if it continues,” Prevost said, adding “he is seriously ill and he needs medical attention, not available in Dominica”.

“He has to deposit some money as bail, EC$10,000, and soon after that, he will take off to go to Antigua. I am not a doctor, I just know he needs neurological intervention.

“The maximum penalty is EC$5,000 for what he is charged with, illegal entry. He will return as soon as he is well enough to stand trial,” Prevost added.

Choksi is to inform the court of his address in Antigua.

Last month, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit dismissed as “total nonsense” suggestions that Dominica and Antigua and Barbuda had played a role in the alleged kidnapping of Choksi,

Skerrit reiterated that Choksi, who had been granted Antigua and Barbuda citizenship in 2017 under that island’s Citizenship by Investment programme, will have a fair hearing before the courts.

“This idea of a collusion between the governments of Antigua and Dominica is total nonsense,” Skerrit said, adding “whatever facts, whatever information Mr Choksi may have, he has an opportunity to present it before the courts”.

“But to say that the government of Dominica, the government of Antigua colluded, give me a break! That’s total nonsense, we don’t get involve in those type of activity, those practices,” Skerrit said, further describing the allegation as “absurd”.

Choksi is wanted by the Indian judicial authorities for criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, cheating and dishonesty, including delivery of property, corruption, and money laundering.

In May, High Court Judge Justice Wyanante Adrien-Roberts denied bail to Choksi, ruling that she was not satisfied that he had enough ties in Dominica to not flee the island. In addition, the judge said the High Court cannot impose any condition that will assure Choksi will not abscond. But she told his lawyers that they could reapply for bail at a later date.

Choksi has been appearing before Chief Magistrate Candia Carette-George on the charge of illegally entering the island, but the matter had been adjourned after his lawyers said he was medically unfit.