Saint John’s:
Amid suspense more than the mysterious disappearance of Indian fugitive Mehul Choksi from Antigua and Barbuda, it seems that he may well have taken his girlfriend on a romantic trip to Dominica, exactly where he was arrested.
Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne on Saturday mentioned it is feasible for Dominica to deport Choksi to India since he entered the nation illegally, AntiguaNewsRoom reported.
Earlier, Mr Browne had indicated that Dominica need to deport Choksi straight to India and not return him to Antigua and Barbuda as he would be protected by the Constitutional rights.
Asserting that the nation completely respects the jurisdiction of the court more than this matter, Mr Browne mentioned in a globalised world cooperation amongst states is expected to fight and defeat criminals and to deny criminals the use of state apparatus for protection and advancement of their criminal conduct.
“We live in a globalised world where cooperation among states is required to fight and defeat criminals and to deny criminals the use of the state apparatus for protection and advancement of their criminal conduct. That is precisely why we have and continue to encourage the government of Dominica, to make him persona non grata for illegally entering their country and to deport him to India where he is still a citizen.”
The Prime Minister additional urged to look at the deportation of Choksi straight to India, as a kind of state cooperation to apprehend a fugitive.
“We respect the jurisdiction of the court over this matter. My request on behalf of the state, for Dominica to consider deporting Choksi directly to India, as a form of state cooperation to apprehend a fugitive, is perfectly acceptable,” he mentioned.
“This request for state cooperation could never be construed by any law-abiding entity, of integrity and legitimate purpose to be an “ill-deemed utterance,” he said, adding “also the claim that the request undermines the rule of law or Choksi’s constitutional rights, is preposterous.”
If he (Mehul Choksi) is deported to Antigua, he will continue to delight in the legal and constitutional protections of citizenship, he mentioned additional.
Mr Browne last week mentioned that if Choksi flees the nation his citizenship will be revoked.