JOIN USMehul Choksi's lawyer appeals for CARICOM intervention in alleged ‘kidnapping’
UK-based director of Justice Abroad Michael Polak, who says he is acting for Mehul Choksi as part of his legal team, on Monday appealed for CARICOM (Carribbean Community) intervention for the wanted Indian businessman as a citizen of Antigua.
The lawyer claimed that Choksi, 62, was lured to a villa in Antigua, then attacked and beaten, bound and gagged, tied to a wheelchair, then transported out to sea and onwards to Dominica, in a "clear breach" of the rule of law and a "big test" for the political bodies of the Caribbean Community.
"The kidnapping and rendition of Mr Choksi from Antigua to Dominica has drawn the world’s attention to the CARICOM region and we have yet to hear anything from this organisation on this tawdry affair and gross breach of an individual’s human rights,” said London-based barrister Polak.
"The Secretary-General has been respectfully requested to speak out on this issue and a failure to do may reflect badly upon the CARICOM region as somewhere where the rule of law and due process applies," he said.
The lawyer said that a request for a meeting with Secretary-General of CARICOM, Irwin Larocque, and a public statement from the regional organisation has been made.
He noted that given that one of CARICOM’s missions is to "create a community… where every citizen is secure and has the opportunity to realise his or her potential with guaranteed human rights and social justice", the organisation is being urged to speak out and take action in regard to these “very worrying events”, which have drawn the world’s attention to the region.
Meanwhile, Choksi faces illegal entry charges in Dominica and has been hospitalised since May 30. He faces legal proceedings as India seeks his extradition to face charges of fraud and money laundering related to the Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case.