The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court in the High Court of Justice Commonwealth of Dominica on Friday put a stay on the repatriation of India-born fugitive Mehul Choksi from Dominica. "This order is to be served immediately on the defendants by email and fax and in person, and the head of immigration at the Douglas Charles airport by email and fax," read the court order. The court will hold the next hearing in the matter on May 28 at 9 am local time.
"I can assure you that he will be ultimately deported after exhausting all his appeals. He will be extradited back to India to face whatever charges against him. It is just a matter of time," Gaston Browne told ANI.
Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne has asked neighbouring Dominica, where fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi was caught, to hand the diamantaire over to India directly, local media reported.
The Dominica high court has stayed the removal of Choksi from its soil and put a gag order on the developments till the matter is heard in an open court on June 2.
Police in Dominica captured Choksi on Tuesday night (local time) after an Interpol Yellow Notice was issued by Antigua and Barbuda.
The Antiguan prime minister had told Indian government that even criminals have fundamental rights and Choksi, too, has the right to go to court and defend his position, adding, once all legal options are exhausted, he will be extradited.
He said that Government of Dominica and law enforcement agencies, unless the court rules otherwise, can deport him to India because he is an Indian citizen, Antigua News Room reported.
'The government in the past has also increased (the limit) from Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 5 lakh. In future, whenever the time arises, we will look into the matter.'
The evacuation of coastal areas of Florida and neighboring Georgia was the biggest seen in the US in a dozen years.
Fugitive Diamantaire Mehul Choksi who is held in Dominica after his mysterious disappearance from Antigua and Barbuda has alleged that his "friend" Barbara Jabarica was instrumental in his abduction which involved musclemen claiming to be Antiguan Police and mercenaries looking like Indians. The police have started the investigation after receiving a complaint from Choksi, Antigua Prime Minister Gaston Browne said.
No meeting or interaction has been requested or scheduled with Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi so far.
Three deaths have been reported and there are fears of more fatalities.
A fly-past by a 220-ft-long majestic Indian tricolour, made of khadi, over the iconic Hudson river and the display of a giant billboard at Times Square are among the highlights of the grand celebrations planned to mark 75 years of India's Independence in New York this week.
It was perhaps over-enthusiasm that prompted the Indian investigative agencies to take a private jet to Dominica to bring back fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi. Predictably, the eight-member team had to return empty-handed after almost a week-long wait. The agencies were banking too much on the "state-less" status of Mr Choksi, as Antigua, which had given him citizenship in 2017, wasn't willing to take him back. Thus, the calculation was that Mr Choksi would be whisked away from the Dominican courtroom to the waiting plane. The reason for the optimism was also because Antigua is friendly territory for India.
The bilateral talks took place as the formal heads of government meeting got underway in London on Thursday, following a formal launch by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace.
Middlesbrough are back in the Premier League after a 1-1 draw with 10-man Brighton & Hove Albion in their multi-million pound promotion decider on Saturday while Burnley sealed the Championship title with a 3-0 victory at Charlton Athletic.
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