High Court grants bail to Indian fugitive
A HIGH Court judge on Monday granted India-born Antigua and Barbuda citizen Mehul Choksi EC$10,000 (one EC dollar=US$0.37 cents) bail so as to allow him to travel to Antigua and Barbuda for medical treatment
Choksi, 62, who has been held in remand at the Dominica China Friendship Hospital, has pleaded not guilty to the charge of illegally entering the island in late May, claiming that he had been kidnapped in Antigua and taken here on May 23.
Choksi is also wanted by the Indian authorities in relation to a US-multibillion-dollar bank fraud, a charge he has denied.
One of his attorneys, Julian Prevost, said Justice Bernie Stephenson had agreed to the request of the defence after hearing arguments filed by both parties in the matter.
He said that the High Court had taken into consideration that Dominica does not have the medical services which his client requires.
He said the judge had granted bail so Choksi could travel to Antigua and Barbuda.
“He has to return to Dominica to hear his matter of illegal entry if it continues,” Prevost said, adding “he is seriously ill and he needs medical attention, not available in Dominica”.
“He has to deposit some money as bail, EC$10,000, and soon after that, he will take off to go to Antigua. I am not a doctor, I just know he needs neurological intervention.
“The maximum penalty is EC$5,000 for what he is charged with, illegal entry. He will return as soon as he is well enough to stand trial,” Prevost added.
Choksi is to inform the court of his address in Antigua.
Last month, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit dismissed as “total nonsense” suggestions that Dominica and Antigua and Barbuda had played a role in the alleged kidnapping of Choksi,