‘Flight risk’: Court denies Choksi’s bail

NEW DELHI: The Dominica high court has denied bail to fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi in the case of illegal entry into the island country after his mysterious disappearance from neighbouring Antigua and Barbuda where he was staying since 2018, local Caribbean media reported.

The high court on Friday (local time) gave the ruling by concluding that Choksi was a “flight risk”, did not have any ties with Dominica and the court could not impose any conditions which will stop him from leaving the country, news outlet Antiguanewsroom said.

Choksi had approached the high court after the magistrate had rejected his bail petition.

The 62-year-old diamantaire, who has an Interpol Red Notice against him, mysteriously went missing on May 23 from Antigua and Barbuda where he has been staying since 2018 as a citizen after fleeing from India. He was detained in the neighbouring island country of Dominica for illegal entry.

Choksi’s lawyers filed a habeas corpus petition calling his arrest illegal and alleging that he was abducted by Indian and Atiguan police officers aling with his female friend, Barbara Jarabik (who was part of the plot