According to local media, fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi has filed a case in Roseau’s high court, seeking to have the proceedings against him quashed.
Choksi has claimed that his arrest in Dominica for illegal entry was “dictated” by Indian government representatives.
The case was brought against the Caribbean country’s immigration minister, police chief, and the officer in charge of the investigation.
Choksi, who had gone missing from Antigua and Barbuda after fleeing India in 2018, was apprehended on May 23 in neighbouring Dominica for illegal entry.
Dominica’s Ministry of Immigration declared him a prohibited immigrant. The 62-year-old diamond shot in a Rs 13.500 cream scam in the Punjab National Bank approached the Dominican High Court,
claiming that the Roséau Interim Police Chief’s Lincoln Corbette’s decision to prosecute him for illegal entry was not “the outcome of their independent judgement” and that the investigating officer, Sergeant Alleyne.
“Third parties, representatives of the Indian administration… allowed themselves to be dictated…,” Choksi alleged.
This is the offer my friends have made. These two things should be remembered by all my brothers and sisters – nonviolence or compassion… That’s my gift on my birthday,” he said.
“I’m only one person. Love me is shown by many people. My face is pretty beautiful despite my age.
A lot of people show me real friendship,” he said. He claimed that he was abducted and forcibly brought into Dominica by indigenous men from Antigua and Barbuda.
Choksi claimed that he had told the Dominican police about his ordeal, but that they did not open any inquiry into his allegations.
“Applicant’s arrest and prosecution is an abuse of court proceedings because the police who charged the applicant have participated in the kidnappers of the applicant and have condoned the applicant’s forced entry into Dominica,” he says.
His lawyers told the magistrate’s court on Tuesday that their case of illegal entry was brought by the high court.
Choksi has asked for a permanent injunction to stay the criminal charge brought against him for illegal entry.
He has also requested a court order declaring that the minister of immigration and national security’s declaration of him as an illegal immigrant violated natural justice principles and is thus null and void and of no effect, according to the website.
