Suing Case: Antigua Gov't vs Mehul Choksi hearing on December 12

The Antigua and Barbuda government will head to the court on December 12 to defend its decision to help the Indian government with the extradition of Mehul Choksi.

The date was given on Wednesday by Justice Rita Joseph Olivetti for attorneys representing the government and Choksi to meet head on in court.

Mehul Choksi, who is wanted by Indian authorities to answer allegations that he orchestrated a multi-million-dollar scam at Punjab National Bank, is suing the Antigua and Barbuda government and its Ministry of External Affairs.

His attorney Dr. David Dorsett is challenging section 9(4) of the extradition act which states that “on receipt of any such request the Minister may issue an authority to proceed unless it appears to him that an order for the return of the person concerned could not lawfully be made, or would not in fact be made, in accordance with the provisions of this Act”.

The government said it will not be threatened by any lawsuit from Mehul Choksi and his lawyers and they will continue with the extradition process.

According to the official, the point raised by Choksi’s lawyers has no merit and he may simply be trying to use the law to deprive countries of their responsibilities with respect to offences committed within their borders.

The Indian based Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) have submitted an extradition plea before the Antigua and Barbuda authorities and the request is now being looked into by the Ministry of External Affairs and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

Choksi became a citizen of Antigua and Barbuda within the past year through the Citizenship by Investment Programme (CIP) and it was shortly after that he was named a fraud accused.

Since then, India has been looking to extradite him given that he has moved here.