Indian-born fugitive Mehul Choksi says he is now extremely sceptical about returning to India to prove his innocence in an almost US$2 billion bank fraud case.
In his first interview since arriving back to Antigua from Dominica on Wednesday, Choksi said, “Now that I’ve seriously been considering to return to prove my innocence in India, my medical condition is very bad, and it has worsened unlike anything over these 50 days of my kidnapping, and I’m extremely apprehensive of my safety in India.”
Choksi alleges that he was kidnapped from Antigua and transported to Dominica in May by Indian officials and law enforcement in Antigua.
Before that he said he had not been able to travel due to his health but said he welcomed the Indian government to visit him in Antigua, if they want to “interrogate him”.
“Or by Zoom, or anything; I’m always available, but this inhumane and brazen kidnapping – it was never expected by me,” he remarked.
The diamantaire described the experience as being surreal, telling an interviewer in India, “I was always hearing about it, but I never believed that they could go to this extent, when I am legally contesting and exercising my legal rights here in Antigua.
“I’m back home, but this torture has left permanent scars – psychologically and physically; rather permanent scars on my soul,” he said.
“I could have never imagined that after closing down all my businesses and seizing all my properties, a kidnapping attempt would be made on me by the Indian agencies.”
The 62-year-old says he does not believe that he will ever be able to recover from the ordeal.