Fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi, who went missing onMay 23 from Antigua and Barbuda and was captured in Dominica a few days later,has said that he was abducted by Indian agents and was given shock with a Tasergun whenever he resisted, according to a media report.
He also alleged that he was beaten up by the officials.
In a statement to Business Standard newspaper, Choksisaid that he was abducted from the Caribbean Island of Antigua on the night ofMay 23 from where he was forcibly taken on a boat to the island of Dominica.
In a statement to Business Standard, Choksi, who iswanted in India in the Rs 13,500 crore Punjab and National Bank (PNB) loanfraud case, said that a friend of his in Antigua named Barbara Jabarika hadinvited him to her house.
"So I went into the house... In three minutes therewere about 8 to 10 people... and they said that we knew who you are and youhave to go for investigation just now with us... they just grabbed me and Itried to fight against them, but it was very, very hard... they came at me fromall sides, they tied my hands, my legs and everything," Choksi, who hasbeen staying in Antigua and Barbuda since 2018 after taking citizenship in 2017under the Citizenship by Investment program, said in the statement.
"Then they brought one wheelchair... they tried tomake a story that even the police of Antigua were involved in this...half ofthem were India, very, very strong like army people... And they put me on thewheelchair and whenever I was fighting, they would shock me with a taser...They tied me from behind, my legs and my body, my hands, everything. And theyput a gag, very big plastic gag in my face," he said.
"Then they got a mask and covered my head... Andthey put me in a boat, the whole entire wheelchair, then they put me on a bigboat, a very big boat... then they took off the mask... There were two Indians.They said they were agents from India... The two gentlemen who were with me,they were Gurjit Singh and there was another name," Business Standardquoted Choksi as saying.
"At the last hour in the boat, I got a call from anIndian authority. He said his name is Narendra Singh. He is on my case. And hesaid that when you are asked when your interrogation happens in Dominica, saythat this whole matter happened with your consent... They beat me, bruised me,used the Taser. And after coming to Dominica, it was an unbelievableexperience. What I went through for the next few days. It was so non-cooperationand so bad experience that I can't put in words (sic), " he added.
Choksi had gone missing from Antigua on May 23, sparkinga massive manhunt. He was captured in Dominica on May 26.
A Dominican court has restrained the extradition of Choksitill further orders by hearing the haebus corpus plea filed by his lawyers. Thecourt is all set to further hear the matter later in the day.
On Thursday, first pictures of Choksi emerged online,showing several signs of bruises on his arms and a swollen eye.
Choksi is wanted in India by the Central Bureau ofInvestigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with theRs 13,500 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) loan fraud case. He had shifted toAntigua in January 2018, days before the CBI registered a case.
His lawyer in India, Vijay Agarwal, had told IANS,"Choksi was forced to get into a vessel from Antigua and was taken toDominica. He also claimed that there were marks on Choksi's body, implying theuse of force."
"There is something fishy and I guess it was astrategy to take him to another place so that there are chances of sending himback to India. So I don't know what forces are operating. The time willtell," he had said.
However, Antigua Police Commissioner Atlee Rodney hasrubbished the claims of Choksi's counsel and said that they have no informationon him being forcefully removed.
An eight-member team of Indian officials has also landedin Dominica on a private jet for the extradition of Choksi.