Fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi, who is currently facing trial at a Dominican court, had claimed that there was a concerted effort to kidnap him from the Carribeans. Choksi, who had moved citizenship to Antigua and Barbuda after a multi-crore Punjab National Bank scam came to light, was arrested in Dominica after he jumped islands in the Carribean; in an extradition hearing, Choksi's lawyers had alleged that he was abducted and taken to Dominica by "policemen looking Antiguan and Indian".
In a complaint filed before Antiguan police, Choksi has given a full account of what he describes as "kidnapping" by the India. He named his erstwhile mysterious "friend" Barbara Jabarica, along with two names—Narinder Singh and Gurmit Singh—had kidnapped him and taken him to Dominica for an interview with a "high-ranking Indian politician".
Jabarica, he said, according to multiple news sources, had developed "friendly terms with him" and accompanied him on his walks. On May 23, 2021, he said, Jabarica asked him to pick her up at her house before their regular walks. He was asked to wait inside her house, when "8-10 musclemen claiming to be Antiguan policemen barged in and beat him to a pulp, took his wallet, Rolex watch, mobile phone, and tased him before handcuffing, gagging and blindfolding him".
He alleged that they bundled him on a wheelchair in a comatose state and took him through the backside of Jabarica's residence on a small watercraft. "The manner in which Jabarica conducted herself, including by not helping me get free from the said persons and her subsequent lack of initiative in contacting the police clearly points to the fact that she was an integral part of this entire scheme to kidnap me," Choksi claimed.
The mysterious Jabarica has been a much-discussed element in the entire saga. Choksi's wife Priti had told news agency ANI: "The woman [Jabarica] was known to my husband, she would visit my husband when she came to Antigua. From what I have understood from people who have met her, the woman shown on media channels is not the same woman that they knew as Barbara."
After he was bundled, Choksi claimed that he was then transferred on a bigger vessel where two Indian men who looked like highly experienced mercenaries or contractors "hired specifically for this purpose of detaining and abducting me in such a brutal and unlawful manner" and three men of Caribbean decent were present.
"Upon hearing me resist, he [ring-leader Narinder Singh] threatened me by promising that physical harm would befall upon me and my family if I did not comply. He also said to leave my friendship with Barbara Jabarica out of the picture as it would lead to a public scandal and cause grievous hurt to my wife," the complaint alleged.
Their path enroute Dominica, where Choksi was told he would have to give an interview to a "high-ranking Indian politician", came to an abrupt end after Dominica was closed; they first contemplated spending the day in a boat, and later, in a change of plans, handed him over to the Dominican coast guard, he claimed.
"Looking back, I have no doubts that the agents if given enough reason and opportunity, would have not thought twice before killing me. They seemed detached from the realm of law and procedures," he claimed.
Dominican president says Choksi's rights will be respected
Dominica Prime Minister Rooseveltt Skerrit said the rights of "Indian citizen" Mehul Choksi will be respected and courts will decide on the future course of action. In a first public statement since Choksi, wanted in a Rs 13,500-crore bank fraud case in India, was held in the Caribbean island country after his disappearance from Antigua and Barbuda on May 23, Skerrit said, "The rights of Mehul Choski will be respected."
"The matter with this Indian citizen is before the courts. The courts will decide what happens to the gentleman and we will allow the court process to go through. I do not like to get involved by making public statements in these matters," Skerrit said. "His rights will be respected as has been done thus far and let the court decide what will happen. We have no issues in so far as the matter relates to Antigua and or India, we are part of our own community and we must recognise our duties and responsibilities in this regard," he was quoted by media.
-Inputs from agencies
