THE INDIAN GOVERNMENT has landed virtually in Dominican courts to get Mehul Choksi deported. With its investigators failing to get their hands on the fugitive diamond trader, India has, for now, decided against dispatching a legal team to Dominica.
But the long arm of the law is after him, with former solicitor general Harish Salve (Queen's Counsel) using video links to assist investigators in untying the legal knots Choksi has created to stay put in the Caribbean.
India recently filed an affidavit in the Dominican high court—on behalf of the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate—claiming that Choksi was an Indian citizen who was fleeing the law. The CBI and the ED are investigating Choksi's role in the ₹13,500 crore Punjab National Bank fraud case; his nephew Nirav Modi is in a London jail in the same case.
Investigators are confident that Salve's involvement will not only pave the way for Choksi's return, but will also set a precedent for those who buy a new nationality to escape the law after committing fraud.
The ED is currently chasing another diamond trader who has given up his Indian citizenship for a Saint Kitts one. Another was trying for citizenship of Saint Lucia. The Caribbean, with its paid citizenship programmes, has been a favourite haunt of fugitives. Sleuths said facilities provided to passport holders of these tiny nations, like visa-free travel to more than a hundred countries, is a huge attraction for scamsters. Such citizenships can be retained by just spending a few days on the island.
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Denne historien er fra June 27, 2021-utgaven av THE WEEK.
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A golden girl
One of India's most formidable beauties passed away earlier this month. The odd thing is she would absolutely hate this obituary; she hated being written about and avoided publicity for all of her nine decades. Indira Aswani was 93 when she died. But anyone who encountered her, even briefly, was in such awe of her grace and poise, and one could not but remember her forever.
The interest in wine is growing delightfully in India
The renowned British wine writer and television presenter Jancis Robinson, 74, recently came to Delhi and Mumbai to reacquaint herself with India's wine industry. This was the Robinson's fourth visit to India; the last one was seven years ago. On this trip, Robinson and her husband, restaurateur Nicholas Lander, were hosted by the Taj Hotels and Sonal Holland, India's only Master of Wine.
United in the states
Indian-Americans coming together under the Democratic umbrella could get Harris over the line in key battlegrounds
COVER DRIVE
Usage-driven motor insurance policies offer several benefits
GDP as the only measure of progress is illogical
Dasho Karma Ura, one of the world's leading happiness experts, has guided Bhutan's unique gross national happiness (GNH) project. He uses empirical data to show that money cannot buy happiness in all circumstances, rather it is family and health that have the strongest positive effect on happiness. Excerpts from an interview:
India is not a controlling big brother
Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay considers India a benevolent elder sibling as the \"big brotherly attitude\" is happily missing from bilateral ties. He thinks the relationship shared by the two countries has become a model of friendship not just for the region, but for the entire world. \"India's attitude is definitely not of a big brother who is controlling and does not allow the little brother to blossom and grow,\" says Tobgay in an exclusive interview with THE WEEK.
Comrade with no foes
Lal Salaam, Comrade Yechury-you were quite a guy!
Pinning down saffron
In her first political bout, Vinesh Phogat rides on the anti-BJP sentiment across Haryana
MAKE IN MANIPUR
Home-made rockets and weapons from across the border are escalating the conflict
SAHEB LOSES STEAM
Coalition dynamics and poor electoral prospects continue to diminish Ajit Pawar's political stock
