By: Staff Writer
June 8, 2021
Indian billionaire fugitive awaiting trial in Dominica claims he was beaten by Dominica police and was kidnapped from Antigua and Barbuda and brought to Dominica.
Mehul Choksi, Indian-born Antigua and Barbudan billionaire businessman being held in Dominica for “illegal entering,” in a signed police report and complaint on June 3, 2021 claims he was kidnapped from Antigua and brought to Dominica against his will where he was beaten by Dominica police officers.
The report names a “Barbara Jabarica” whom he knew that lived opposite his residential complex in Jolly Harbour Marks, Antigua as a lady involved in his kidnaping. He said him and Ms Jabrica was on “friendly terms” and often met up for walks and personal times together when on May 23, 2021 she asked him to meet up at a place outside of their normal routine at house #407 at the Marina which Choksi did.
Choksi, who is wanted in Indian authorities for criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, cheating and dishonesty including delivery of property, corruption and money laundering involving the embezzlement of $1,8bn from the Punjab National Bank, fled to Antigua and Barbuda where he obtained a passport under the country’s Citizenship by Investment sometime in 2018 where at the same time he surrendered his Indian passport.
The report later alleges that evening that while enjoying Mr Jabrica’s company, some men claiming to be Antiguan police officers burst into the dwelling where he was beaten and told he was going to be taken to the St John police station.
He was quickly overpower and succumbed to his alleged abductors because of his poor health. He was subsequently robbed of his personal belongings including $1,500 in cash and a Rolex watch.
Choksi further alleges that while he was being assaulted by these men that Ms Jabrica offered no hand of help or offer to call the police or appeared to be against the assault. He also said he was then taken to a place behind Ms Jabrica’s house where he was placed on a boat along with two other Indian men and three other “Caribbean sounding men” after which he claims to have been interrogated by another Indian man. It is also alleged by others that Ms Jabrica was there to entrap Mr Choksi, to lull him into a fasle sense of security so he could be abducted.
Mr Choksi also names a person by the name of “Narinder Singh” who introduced himself to Choksi as the “agent in charge of his case and then his assault continued until he was brought to Dominica some 18 hours later. He also names a Gurmit Signh as the boatman who took him to Dominica and allegedly took the $1,500 he had on his person.
Choksi also said that after he arrived on Dominica he was met by the Dominica chief of police Lincoln Corbette along with several other senior Dominica police officers. Hours after being met by Dominica police Cara Shillingford a lawyer in Dominica was granted access to see him in custody.
Mr Choksi has filed a writ of habeas corpus and has also said that the accused, COP Corbette aided and abetted in him being kidnapped from Antigua and brought to Dominica against his will. In addition he claims he was beaten while under detention, despite claiming to have a medical condition, received no medical assistance.
Choksi also wants an investigation into all of these alleged offences.
Mr Choksi is being held by Dominica authorities where he is awaiting trial on illegal entering into Dominica. He is counter claiming that he was abducted and the Dominica high court has issued a stay on his extradition in light of the events.
The prime minister of Antigua, Gaston Browne, has gone on public record saying that the Dominica officials are free to send Mr Choksi back to India as he wants no part of him. Mr Choksi was also alleged to have been supporting the Antigua opposition party, and up to this time, the United Progressive Party has recently come out in support charging that Browne should treat Choksi as an Antiguan citizen, while categorically denying that he is funding their party.
Roosevelt Skerrit, prime minister of Dominica has termed Choksi is an Indian citizen but said that the courts will decide what happens to Choksi from here on in.