When Mehul Choksi Alleged Abduction, And A Hungarian Woman's 'Honeytrap'

Nearly four years before his arrest in Belgium, wanted businessman Mehul Choksi was arrested in the Dominican Republic for illegal entry. He had then alleged that Indian agents forcibly removed him from Antigua and Barbuda, where he fled just before the Punjab National Bank fraud came to light, and took him to the Dominican Republic.

Diamantaire Mehul Choksi, who owned Gitanjali Group, is an accused in the 12,636-crore fraud at the state-run bank. He fled India in January 2018 and reached Antigua, where he had taken citizenship by investment. In May 2021, Choksi appeared in the Dominican Republic and was arrested for illegal entry. He alleged that he was abducted in Antigua, tortured and brought to the Dominican Republic on a boat.

In the aftermath of the alleged abduction, a woman's name came up. Choksi's wife Priti alleged that they met Barbara Jabarika, a Hungarian national, in 2020 and alleged that she was part of a honeytrap plan. Barbara trashed these allegations and reports that she was Choksi's "girlfriend". I have my own income and business. I don't need his cash, support, hotel booking, fake jewellery, or anything."

She said Choksi introduced himself as Raj and that they first met in August 2020. "Raj (Mehul Choksi) was the one who approached me, asked for my number and 'befriended me', totally the opposite of what his wife says," Barbara said. She also said Choksi had told her they may meet in Cuba, suggesting he planned to move there.

Choksi, however, alleged that Barbara did not try to help him when he was being beaten up and placed on a watercraft to be taken to Dominica from Antigua and Barbuda. He also said the way Barbara behaved indicated "she was an integral part of this whole plan".

Priti Choksi trashed Barbara's claims that she knew Choksi as Raj. "How is it possible that despite all the media attention and public furore surrounding this case, that this lady who has an Instagram account with thousands of followers was in the dark about all this, and did not come out to speak in defence of her 'friend'?" she said. "These bogus claims are only an attempt to present a wrong picture of my husband," she said.

Choksi was imprisoned in the Dominican Republic for 51 days before he got relief from the British Queen's Privy Council and returned to Antigua, foiling India's attempts to extradite him. Later, the illegal entry charges against him in the Dominican Republic were dropped.

In March 2023, Interpol took down a Red Notice against Choksi. A Red Notice is a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition or surrender. In response to the Interpol move, the CBI said Choksi approached international forums, including the Commission for Control of Interpol's Files, with "false claims, concocted dramatic stories and imaginary narratives" to "create diversions" because he faces possibilities of extradition to India. The CBI had also said an INTERPOL Red Notice is "neither a pre requisite nor a requirement for extradition proceedings".

Last year, Indian agencies learned that Choksi was in Belgium, and they promptly alerted the agencies there. All documents regarding the fraud case were also shared. Belgian police arrested Choksi on Saturday and found he was trying to flee to Switzerland. Choksi's wife Priti is a Belgian citizen. According to reports, Choksi submitted fabricated documents to get a residency card in Belgium. He also concealed that he was a citizen of India and Antigua. Earlier, in February, Choksi's lawyer told a Mumbai court that he cannot return to India because he was in Belgium for blood cancer treatment.

Choksi's lawyer said he will file an application in Belgium, seeking relief on health grounds. Vijay Aggarwal said a key ground for appeal will be Choksi's health. "He is undergoing cancer treatment and wants to continue it in Switzerland. He is currently not a flight risk," he said. The lawyer cited security concerns if Choksi is brought back to India. "We believe that as soon as he arrives, he will receive inhuman treatment. He wants to protect himself from this," he said.

India