NewDelhi May 30 : The first pictures of fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi surfaced on Saturday that showed the PNB scam accused behind bars in Dominica, where he was arrested a few days back. Posting the new photo, the Antigua News Room tweeted, ‘First pictures emerge of Mehul Choksi behind bars.’
The photos of Mehul Choksi in police custody in Dominica showed he had injury marks on his body. Bruises could be seen on both of his arms and his left eye was red and swollen.
Earlier this week, Choksi’s Dominica-based lawyer Wayne Marsh said his client was abducted from Antigua on Sunday (May 23) and beaten up.
‘I noticed that he was severely beaten, his eyes were swollen and had several burn marks on his body (apparently burnt by some electronic device).
He reported to me that he was abducted at Jolly Harbour in Antigua and brought to Dominica by persons whom he believed to be Indian and Antiguan police on a vessel he described to be about 60-70 feet in length,’ Choksi’s lawyer said.
Mehul Choksi to remain in Dominica, next hearing on June 2
On Friday, the High Court of Dominica once again ‘restrained’ the extradition of Choksi. Justice M.E. Birnie Stephenson, in her order, extended the injunction on removing Choksi from Dominica ‘until further or other hearing of this application is continued until the further hearing of this matter’.
The next hearing of the case is scheduled for June 2.
The court’s decision came while it was hearing a habeas corpus plea filed by Choksi’s lawyers.
The Dominican court further stated that Choksi ‘must be taken transported to the Dominica China Friendship Hospital for medical attention and the administration of a Covid-19 test’.
It asked the respondents (the Attorney General and the Chief of Police) to file their affidavits by 10.30 on Tuesday, and the applicant (Choksi) to file an affidavit in reply, if necessary, on or before 3.30 p.m. on Tuesday.
Choksi, who is wanted in India by the CBI and the ED for the Rs 13,500 crore PNB loan fraud case, went missing from Antigua and Barbuda on Sunday, sparking a massive manhunt. He was captured in Dominica on Wednesday.
Earlier in the day, Choksi’s lawyer in India, Vijay Agarwal, told IANS, ‘Upon the filing of the habeas corpus petition titled ‘Mehul Choksi vs Attorney General of Commonwealth of Dominica and Chief of Police’, a Dominica court has ordered a restraint on removing Choksi from the land of Dominica until further order.’
Choksi, an accused in the PNB loan fraud case along with his nephew Nirav Modi, has been residing in Antigua and Barbuda since January 4, 2018. The CBI and ED, which have filed separate chargesheets in the case, are trying for the extradition of Choksi.
A massive manhunt was launched after Choksi went missing and an Interpol Notice was issued by Antigua and Barbuda. He was traced and captured in Dominica on May 25.