New Delhi, India — Mehul Choksi, a fugitive businessman wanted by the Indian authorities for his alleged involvement in a $2 billion fraud at the Punjab National Bank, is employing a strategic defense to avoid extradition from Antigua, where he is currently residing. Choksi’s lawyer, Vijay Aggarwal, has laid out a three-pronged approach focusing on his client’s health issues, the political motivations behind the case, and the condition of Indian prisons.
Choksi, who holds citizenship in Antigua and Barbuda since 2017, argues that his health is too fragile to endure the rigors of extradition and trial. His defense team has submitted detailed medical reports to support claims that Choksi suffers from multiple health issues, which they argue cannot be adequately treated in India. Among these are life-threatening heart conditions and a risk of chronic ailments exacerbating under prison conditions.
Additionally, Aggarwal contends that the legal actions against Choksi are a result of political vendettas, implying that his client is being unfairly targeted by political opponents within the Indian administration. This dimension of their defense strategy seeks to paint Choksi not just as a suspect in a financial scheme, but as a victim of political persecution, a claim designed to elicit scrutiny over the fairness of his potential trial.
Concerns over the state of Indian prisons form the third pillar of Choksi’s defense. Aggarwal has cited multiple human rights reports describing poor conditions in Indian penal institutions, including overcrowding, inadequate medical facilities, and instances of human rights abuses. These conditions, the defense argues, pose a serious risk to Choksi’s well-being and contravene international human rights standards that Antigua and Barbuda would violate by extraditing him under such circumstances.
Choksi disappeared from Antigua in May 2021 and was captured in Dominica, sparking widespread speculation about his attempt to evade prosecution. However, he claims that he was kidnapped and taken to Dominica against his will, an assertion that has added another layer of complexity to the extradition proceedings.
The case has drawn international attention, not only due to the staggering amount alleged to have been defrauded but also because it tests the mechanisms of international law pertaining to extradition. Legal experts suggest that Choksi’s strategy may delay but not completely prevent his extradition if the courts find the primary allegations of financial misconduct credible.
While Indian authorities press for Choksi’s return, promising a fair trial and proper medical attention, the case continues to unfold amidst legal and diplomatic maneuvers. The outcome will likely resonate beyond the immediate participants, possibly influencing future extradition processes between other nations.
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