In what comes as a shot in the arm for India’s continuous efforts to extradite fugitive businessman, Mehul Choksi, the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda Gaston Browne has given an assurance that Choksi will be extradited once he exhausts all his appeals in the country. Browne said, “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.”
The Antigua Prime Minister further made it clear that his country was not interested in having Choksi as he added no real value to it.
Mehul Choksi is a “crook” and will be repatriated to India after he exhausts all legal options, Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne has said, insisting that the bank fraud fugitives’ deportation is “just a matter of time”, read Economic Times.
PM Browne also affirmed the right of the Indian officials to interrogate Choksi. He said, “They can come and if they wish to interview Choksi based on his willingness to participate, it has nothing to do with my government.”
Mehul Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi had fled the country a year ago. The two are prime accused in the $ 2 billion PNB fraud case. Choksi became a citizen of Antigua and Barbuda on January 15, 2018.
Antigua Prime Minister Browne’s remarks about Choksi and the assurance to extradite him after he has exhausted all his appeals in the country comes as a boost in India’s relentless efforts to extradite fugitive offenders.
It seems like this would lead to getting another diplomatic success for the Modi government as far extradition of fugitive offenders is concerned. It is relevant to mention here that India has also been seeking the extradition of the controversial religious preacher, Zakir Naik.
Last month, India also got positive signals from M Kulasegaran, the Human Resource Minister of Malaysia who said that Zakir Naik should be sent back to India. “It’s time for the fugitive foreigner to leave Malaysia and to face charges of terrorism and money-laundering charges in India,” said the lawmaker.
The controversial preacher has also been banned from making ‘public speeches’ in Malaysia in the interest of national security of the country.
This action by the Malaysian government only goes on to show a popular sentiment against Naik in the country which comes as a further boost to India’s attempts of getting him extradited.
Ever since the Modi government has come to power, India is on an extradition spree. The official website of the Ministry of External Affairs shows that 23 extraditions and deportations have taken place ever since the Modi government came to power. Out of the 23 extraditions and deportations, there are 10 deportations and 13 extraditions.
It must be noted that the list includes high profile extraditions and deportations of Jagtar Singh Tara, Chhota Rajan alias Rajendra Sadashiv Nickhale, Abdul Wahid Siddibapa aka Khan, Wily Naruenartwanich, Anup Chetia, James Christian Michel, Samirbhai Vinubhai Patel, Md. Farooq Yasin Mansoor/ Farooq Takla among others.
Through its first tenure, the Modi government has shown the ability to secure the extradition of some of the most high profile offenders. This is a manifestation of India’s effective diplomatic policy and relentless efforts of the Modi government.
This is going to put a stern message across that India has emerged as a major global player, offenders can’t think of violating the law and getting away with it by absconding to other countries. Modi government has made it a point to get them extradited and prosecute them under relevant legal provisions.