The twin-island nation of Antigua and Barbuda had no role to play in the alleged abduction of Indian Diamond Tycoon Mehul Choksi.
That’s the word from that country’s prime minister, Gaston Browne, who told parliamentarians Tuesday that his government has nothing to hide.
Spokespersons for Choksi accused the governments of India, Antigua and Barbuda, and Dominica of playing a role in the alleged abduction which involved multiple operators and high-speed boats.
But Browne said his government never facilitated Choksi’s disappearance.
“It is true that I would have stated publicly that our preference would have been for him to be repatriated directly to India from Dominica, but that was on the basis that he skipped the island. At that time, we had no information or the slightest speculation that he may have been abducted,” Browne said.
Furthermore, Browne said if the Indian government needed the help of Antigua and Barbuda in that regard, there would not be the need for a third party to get Choksi out of the country.
“There is no way that we would have been involved in any decision or any attempt to have him removed from the state illegally. If he wasn’t a citizen, he would have been made a persona non grata and you would be assured that before law enforcement would have gone for him, there would have been a plane on the tarmac to take him back to India,” he said
Choksi was taken into custody in Dominica, in May last year after he went missing from Antigua and Barbuda, where he claimed he was kidnapped and beaten in the process
He was charged for illegal entry into Dominica, however, the charges were dropped recently, following a detailed police report from Antigua and Barbuda, which Browne said still has not been shared with the AG or any member of his cabinet.
“This is a matter before law enforcement which will end up in court. The less said, the better,” Browne said
Furthermore, he recalled, that when “Choksi was first reported missing, “the concern of myself is that we would have been accused of facilitating his escape, so we got on to the police and asked them to issue a missing person notice to Interpol…”.
Choksi is an Indian businessman and the owner of Gitanjali Group, a retail jewelry firm with 4,000 stores in India.
Choksi is currently residing in Antigua and Barbuda where he holds citizenship.
Choksi, along with his nephew Nirav Modi, is wanted by Indian authorities in the Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam where it is alleged that the duo defrauded the bank of more than two billion dollars
An arrest warrant has been issued against Choksi and he is wanted in India for criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, cheating and dishonesty including delivery of property, corruption, and money laundering.
Excuse me please Sir you are right “you have nothing more to hide it’s all out in the open now”; like the old saying goes “mouth open tory jump out” You political criminals make a mockery of the law and have the law protect you all same time; least you guys forget nothing lasts forever; go ahead fly your kites Gaston Brown and Skerrit.
How can anyone take Gaston serious when he talks and carries himself like a cartoon character.
Remember his comments about the Vincentian ladies during the volcanic eruption in St. Vincent? Look at his Adolf Hitler-like mustache; his receding hairline; comical eyebrows; etc.
This guy will make the sign of the cross, point to the heavenly skies, watch you directly in your eyes then tell you the most outrageous lies. Soulless and ungodly!
This story raises a few questions:
1. Of all the islands in the Caribbean, why was it Gaston Browne’s preference that Choksi be repatriated to India from Dominica?
2. Browne claims that as of today, his AG has not even seen the report that exonerates Choksi. So why did the Government of Dominica act on a report by dropping all charges against Choksi without even authenticating the report with their counterparts in Antigua?
Bro if the Dominica government had not dropped all charges against Choksi he would have to be cross examined in court and spill the beans. That is the last thing government wants. But don’t worry, that will stil happen I’m sure. I believe Skerrit tell Gaston he cannot pay him for his part because he did not get Choksi delivered to India, which was their plan all along.
The “Government” did not drop the charges.
The DPP did.
Of course you can have an opinion of how that truly works.
OK smart a.s, you know like everyone of us knows that nothing happens without the say-so of the guy that runs things in this little country.
If you know he runs things in the little country, what the F you talking about then.?!
@KID ON THE LANDFILL
Little hypersensitive …….You have to resort to obscenity because of your severely limited vocabulary.
As I said previously, your chronological age is fifty proud (54) but your mental age is that of a foetus.
Same thing, no difference! When do you people stop fooling yourself?
Gaston, like his confidante Roosevelt, has run his country into a political and economic ditch.
A wide cross-section of the public sector of Antigua is taking industrial action against the government for moneys owed to them. Nurses, garbage collectors, public works employees, almost every public servant.
Pensioners on a fixed salary are getting paid up to three, four and sometimes five months late. Yet, this educated idiot, has declared to the world that Antigua & Barbuda is an economic power house, when quite conspicuously, he has reduced the country to an economic poor house.
Gaston and Roosevelt have brought only shame, scandals and misery to their respective countries while engaging in creative enrichment for themselves.
Surely I CANNOT be the only person on this planet who thinks that CHOKSI HIMSELF ORCHESTRATED THIS WHOLE RUSE !!
We all know that ALL our political leaders in the region are corrupt, and many of the unelected managers of our countries’ departments too; so it stands to reason that Choksi also knew this – even before he bought Antiguan citizenship.
I don’t doubt that people were ‘paid’ to ‘help’ Choksi, after all the ‘mega-wealthy can afford to buy whatever or whoever is willing to be bought’! I believe Choksi was counting on the cooperation of the corruptible, then he could play the injured party, while regional political parties kick the ‘name-calling, grand-standing, football’ around. Who knows, maybe he even donated to, or promised donations, to a few election campaigns.
Please tell me that others are looking beyond the ‘obvious’ here.
You doh have nothing to hide, everything done expose already.
The only confusing thing about all this is how you guys managed to get away with such a crime. Such a brazen act of kidnapping and attempting to manipulate legal proceedings caught on the lens of all local/national media for all to see.
No arrests, not even the illusion of an ‘independent investigation’ to at least make it look like the rule of law still exists in the EC.
Instead we have two of the most corrupt leaders in Caribbean history, putting on a public display of their extravagant currupt behaviour, with extreme audacity and zero accountability… confident that the legal infrastructure that they have complete and absolute control over, would never even contemplate anything that remotely resembles a prosecution against them!
What a shame. Black men have their country for sale because they they are unable to generate income through their own initiatives . They have resorted to the easy way out. To make matters worse, mostly criminals are buying. Take my word, it’s a matter of time before those passports become worthless.
Gaston Browne knew nothing about the sending of CARICOM’s Regional Security Service, RSS, to Dominica, to terrorize the people of a small community, Salisbury, with volleys of tear gas and bullets, while they were sleeping. That unforgivable and unforgettable crime took place 1 day before elections, on December 5th. 2019. A disgrace to the People of the Caribbean. International crime to kidnap, torture anyone.
The network of new enslavers. DPP in Dominica, of course, discontinue the case for unexplained reason. People feel is to shield those involved. Corruption to the T.
I wish to convey a doctorate on Gaston Brown so he can step up to the same level as his partner in Dominica who continuously tells bald-faced lies. Gaston, you called for Choksi to be sent to India from Dominica and he is and continues to be a citizen of Antigua. Being a citizen of your country accorded Mr. Choksi certain rights which you are supposed to provide him and that includes rescuing him when he needs assistance and he’s in jeopardy. Instead of rendering assistance to an Antiguan citizen, you issued a statement saying that Dominica should send him to India, even further away from Antigua. You say that you advised the Antiguan police to issue a missing person alert yet you asked Dominica to send him to India instead of rendering assistance to secure his return to the country of his choice, Antigua, the one you are the leader of. Liar your pants are burning and international law will catch up with you and deal with you. Shame on you, Dr., liar, Gaston Brown.
This story is very fishy, if Choksi is wanted in India why can’t he be release to them to to face the crime that he committed.
Good question that. All Gaston have to do is revoke his Antigua and Barbuda passport. He can do that any time but that would be bad publicity for his CBI programme, wouldn’t it.
When a silly mustache invalidates everything coming out of a man’s mouth.
Admit it….. Gaston Browne you made a monumental error padna!!!!
You lying like dry bread!
Egg on your face eh.
You think you more boss….. you quiet for so long….. that’s de best you can do?
Skerrit next ……I want to hear him stammering about de opposition!
One liar said, “our hands are clean.” (Dominica AM) Then the second liar said, “I have nothing to hide.” (Glassbroke Brown Antigua). Pilate washed his hands and thought they were clean. Listen….. The same Pilate who moments before told Jesus, “Don’t you know I have power to release you, and have power to condemn you”? But after he voted to condemn Jesus he went and washed his hands. I tell you, that’s a set of dirty washed hands.
Gaston essentially cut and run and left the corrupt idiot in Dominica holding the bag. Off course he can claim ignorance. Our security minister did just what he is explaining. Declare him person non grata and have a private jet pick him up ASAP. The corrupt prick leading Dominica may have been too concerned about the payout to consider the ramifications. Plans fail now they playing hot potato and moomooo. World boss, the man the thief the zanfan autan papa is once again outplayed by Antigua hitler mustache impersonator. What a disgrace to the Caribbean and the level of leadership we accept. Gaston and skerrit need to be banned from taking part in heads of CARICOM meeting and dominicans need to teach this con man a lesson.
“The twin-island nation of Antigua and Barbuda had no role to play in the alleged abduction of Indian Diamond Tycoon Mehul Choksi.”(Gaston Brown).
Gaston if I was a fool I would not believe your lie; you are a liar!
You are hiding the truth of the matter; this man is a bought citizen of Antigua; prior to the incident, he had absolutely no connection to Dominica, he did not know anyone in Dominica. The man is not known to be a person who sails the ocean alone.
So, how did he automatically found himself in a not popular place in Dominica, where the chief; Roosevelt puppet of police were awaiting him; and arrested him calming he entered Dominica illegally?
You knew he was a fugitive from Punjab India, when you sold him an Antigua passport; knowing that Indian agents were about to arrest him in Antigua, you try to evade the embarrassment, of allowing a citizen of Antigua to taken back to a foreign country.
You knew that would cramp the sale of Antigua passports.
Gaston, your ploy was to con a less intelligent corrupted crook head of Dominica, to allow INTERPOL, and agents out of India to arrest (or actually abduct) an Antiguan national in Dominica; take him to India, leaving your name, and Antigua’s in the clear.
I believe someone in Dominica got paid to be involve into something so corrupted. Gaston we know if that plane from India was not three days late for the pick-up; Dominica name would be at this moment entangled in a international, and diplomatic conflict.
The result of that would be the international crooks who buy’s Antigua passports would stop buying knowing that buying citizenship from Antigua, does not protect them from crimes committed in their place of birth!
Stop your damn lie about Choksi is a businessman with squat in India, when we know he escape Punjab India with billions of whatever currency belonging to the Indian government; he is a fugitive.
Choksi is nothing more right now than a citizen of Antigua!
How many of you are thinking like me? Gaston is a diabolical, despicable, hardcore, habitual, boldface LIAR like his bosom amigo in Dominica.
lbo, people like that guy Gaston, they are so damn ignorant, and lie they believe their own lies!
Look at this: “Choksi is an Indian businessman and the owner of Gitanjali Group, a retail jewelry firm with 4,000 stores in India.”
Okay, one may assume that’s what he was, it that is true!
If he is a fugitive from his country India, that indicates he cannot return home, by his own will; and that is why Antigua government (Gaston Brown) got Roosevelt involved plotted, and took the man to Dominica where they arranged for him to be picked up.
Neither Roosevelt or Gaston can deny that a private Jet Aircraft from India, was at Melville Airport between Wesley, and Marigot for days waiting to transport the man back to Punjab India.
I don’t know how people such as Roosevelt and Gaston and these satanic possessed politicians sleep at night.
The devil has more conscience than Roosevelt the the Gaston of this earth!
Gaston Browne and Roosevelt Skerrit have the same characteristics. They are both strangers to the truth, well known for their ineptitude, mentally stunted by narcissism, diabolical and ungodly.
These two use their lofty, public position for self enrichment while their citizens live outside the circumference of good health and happiness. Hoarding of the country’s resources by these Siamese twins (in character) has left their countrymen existing in abject poverty.
Gaston, truth crushed beneath the earth, no matter how long, inevitably, shall rise again. It
The circumstantial evidence clearly shows that there was collaboration among Antigua & Barbuda, Dominica and India. There is not even a shadow of a doubt about it. Karma is a B-word.
We already know most of the facts. Everyone knows what happen. In truth you cannot hide much more about the matter. So you do right to say you have nothing to hide.
PM Browne is as corrupt and lying as they come……….Guess who else in Dominica is the same way?