Dominica High Court allows early bail hearing of Choksi's plea

The Dominica High Court on Friday allowed fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi's early bail petition on medical grounds. The court has decided to hear the bail plea of Choksi on July 12. Earlier it was scheduled to come for a hearing on July 23.

Mehul Choksi had moved an application for preponing of the bail hearing. The plea made ground citing neurological issues and said their treatment is not available in Dominica.

Advocate Vijay Aggarwal, counsel for Mehul Choksi toldthat Choksi moved an application for preponing bail hearing which has been allowed by the court and the date now is Monday.

Choksi had recently approached the High Court of Dominica seeking judicial review, claiming abuse of process in respect of illegal entry prosecution proceedings against him.

Choksi has got interim relief from immediate repatriation to India by the Dominican court. This was his second bail petition in the high court as his earlier bail application was rejected.

Dominica High Court, while denying him bail, had said he has no ties to Dominica and the court cannot impose any conditions which will assure it that he wouldn't abscond.

The court had also pointed out how Choksi proposed that he will stay with his brother in the hotel, but that is not a fixed address. The court noted that his trial has not started yet.

The court highlighted that Choksi didn't offer any strong surety before the court while he sought bail and he's a flight risk too.

Choksi had gone missing from Antigua on May 23 after going out for dinner and was soon caught in Dominica. He was charged with illegal entry by the police in Dominica after he allegedly escaped from Antigua and Barbuda in a possible attempt to evade extradition to India.

The 62-year-old fugitive is wanted in India in connection with a Rs 13,500-crore fraud in the Punjab National Bank.

( With inputs from ANI )

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