Lekha G
A Dominican Court has extended the order of restraining the extradition of Mehul Choksi from the country till June 2.
The Court would also hear Indian fugitive’s habeas corpus plea on the same date.
The order stated that, “The applicant be allowed to meet with his legal counsel as is required. The injunction restraining the respondents whether by themselves, servants, agents and/or representatives from removing the applicant from The Commonwealth of Dominica until…is continued until the further hearing of this matter.”
Choksi’s lawyers have claimed that the absconding billionaire was abducted by force and taken to the island nation of Dominica.
However, India’s Enforcement Directorate by a plea has urged Dominica that Choksi must be treated as a fugitive Indian citizen who has an Interpol Red Corner notice against him and further be handed over to Indian authorities for deportation to face the laws in India for his alleged deeds.
It was also said that Choksi had surrendered his Indian passport in September 2018 in Georgetown Guyana but was subsequently rejected and the surrender documents had not been signed by the prescribed authority.
At present, the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court has directed Choksi to be transported to the Dominica-China Friendship Hospital for medical attention and administration of a Covid-19 test.
Mehul Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi are accused in the Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case for allegedly siphoning off 13,578 Crore of public money from the bank using letters of undertaking.