Dominican court denies bail to Choksi over illegal entry in country

A Dominican court court today denied bail to Mehul Choksi - the fugitive diamond trader wanted over the ₹ 13,500 crore loan fraud case in India - for illegally entering into the Caribbean island nation from Antigua.Choksi, who appeared before the magistrate court on a wheel chair in a blue T-shirt and black shorts, pleaded not guilty for the alleged crimes before the court and submitted he was allegedly kidnapped into the Island. "Various non-nationals in Dominica are on bail for similar matters, so we are of the view that bail can be granted to our client. Let stringent conditions be added to the bail condition, including a bail sum of $ 10,000 double the maximum penalty, for illegal entry," Choksi's lawyer argued in court.

The Dominican government contended that bail should not be granted to Choksi as he is a flight risk."Choksi has no ties in Dominica hence it would serve him no purpose not to flee the island if bail is granted. Choksi has an Interpol Red Notice against him as he is facing charges for 11 offences in India," submitted Dominica countering the arguments of Choksi's lawyers.After hearing both the sides, the Magistrate rejected the bail plea of Choksi. Mehul Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi are wanted for allegedly siphoning ₹ 13,500 crore of public money from the state-run Punjab National Bank (PNB) using letters of undertaking. Currently, Nirav Modi is in a London prison after being repeatedly denied bail and is contesting his extradition to India, Choksi took citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda in 2017 using the Citizenship by Investment programme before fleeing India in the first week of January 2018.