Tsering sworn in as prez of Tibetan govt-in-exile
DHARAMSHALA: Penpa Tsering was on Thursday sworn in as president of the Central Tibetan Administration, the Dharamshala-based Tibetan government-inexile, and said he will reach out to the Chinese government to find a “mutually beneficial” and non-violent solution to the Sino-tibet conflict.
Citing Section 9 of the Indian Citizenship Act, Aggarwal said Choksi could only be deported to Antigua. “The moment Mehul Choksi acquired the citizenship of Antigua, he ceased to be a citizen of India. Hence legally as per the Immigration and Passport Act, Section 17 and 23, he can be deported only to Antigua,” Aggarwal said in a statement.
India has cordial relations with the Commonwealth of Dominica, which has population of around 72,000.
As part of the Vaccine Maitri initiative, India donated 35,000 doses to Dominica in February this year. India exports mainly pharmaceutical products, readymade garments, textiles and home furnishings, and food products to Dominica, while the latter exports mainly scrap metals. Bilateral trade between India and Dominica during 2017-18 amounted to US$2.38 million.
The Indian government also provided financial support of US$ 1 lakh as immediate relief and granted US$ 1 million for infrastructure reconstruction in Dominica under the India UNDP Fund in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in 2017.
On several occasions in the past, the Antiguan government has said that it was ready to extradite Choksi to India, for which the process is already on. His extradition case as well as revocation of citizenship by Antigua is currently being pursued in a court there, which he has challenged.
Choksi, who sought refuge in Antigua after allegedly cheating PNB of ₹13,578 crore along with his nephew Nirav Modi, and fleeing India in 2018, left his home on Sunday to go for dinner at a well-known restaurant in the southern part of the island and was never seen again. His car was found in Jolly Harbour, a popular nightspot in the 280 sq km island with a population of less than 100,000 people.