Mehul Choksi bribing officials to prolong extradition process: Reports

Fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi has reportedly been buying protection in Antigua by bribing officials, according to investigations conducted by Kenneth Rijock, a renowned financial crimes investigator.

The shocking revelations were made in Rijock's news article on Blogger against Mehul Choksi's bribery and conspiracy in Antigua. He wrote that officials are interfering with Interpol's efforts to detain him for extradition to India.

Choksi has been plotting to illegally extend the court process in Antigua by paying bribes to government officials, including senior Antigua police official, Adonis Henry.

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Several witnesses have talked about how Choksi and Inspector Henry have been meeting at least three times a day at Al Porto, a Jolly Harbor restaurant reportedly owned by Choksi, wrote Rijock in his financial crime blog.

Also Read |Treat Mehul Choksi as a citizen, says Antiguan opposition party

His article further says that besides reaching out to Henry, Choksi has also tried to influence Antigua magistrate Conliffe Clarke through illegal payments. In a bid to delay his extradition, Choksi has tried to influence Clarke through illegal payments, wrote Rijock in his blog post.

Clarke and Henry have conspired to interfere with Interpol's efforts to detain him for extradition to face charges in India, Rijock said citing his sources.

Rijock also describes how the diamond merchant failed to flee from Antigua to Cuba and how he then ended up fabricating a kidnapping scenario, backing his information with various facts.

Choksi wanted to flee to Cuba since it does not have an extradition treaty with India. However, since he failed to pay the promised amount to the smugglers' crew of the ship transporting him to Cuba, he was dumped off on the coast of Dominica in May 2021.

An Antiguan court has already ordered Choksi extradited to India for allegedly stealing the equivalent of millions of dollars. But his bribes to corrupt government officials, judges and law enforcement agents in Antigua have delayed the proceeding.

Choksi obtained a Citizenship by Investment (CIP/CBI) passport in Antigua, notwithstanding an outstanding Interpol Red Notice seeking his arrest. Interpol has issued a Red notice against the fugitive who had been involved in the Punjab National Bank Scam following which he fled the country in 2018.

(With inputs from agencies)

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