Captain of Yacht to Dominica Rubbishes Mehul Choksi's Abduction Theory, Says No Woman on Board

Sources close to the captain of the yacht, Calliope on the Arne, that allegedly carried Mehul Choksi to Dominica from Antigua, Fernandez Ferdinand, have revealed that the abduction theory is wrong.

“There were no unauthorised individuals from May 23 to May 25. It is impossible for two guests on the boat to kidnap someone,” they said.

There were only five people on board, including the captain, two staff and two guests. Talking about the two guests, they said, one was over 50 years old and the other was over 63 years old. Also, there was no woman on board; the boat was hired by the two men.

Choksi alleged kidnapping in a complaint against the Antigua and Barbuda police.

The sources further revealed that customs and immigration clearance is mandatory and they are photographed in the process. Pictures of the boat and guests are in public domain and were clicked by customs on their way during routine check.

CNN-News18 has also accessed pictures of fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi with his agent, who purportedly helped him escape from Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua police sources told CNN-News18 that efforts are on to identify the man.

According to the initial probe, the man was attempting to take Choksi to Cuba through the sea route, but the plan was foiled after he was nabbed in Dominica.

Govin, Choksi’s close friend in Antigua, had exposed his plan to leave Antigua and settle in a safehouse in Cuba.

Govin revealed that the fugitive diamantaire holds another citizenship of a Caribbean country, apart from Antigua and Barbuda, police sources said.

Indian intelligence sources also told CNN-News18 that Choksi made up his kidnapping story as he knew about the Antigua government’s commitment to send him back to India.

Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi had fled India in the first week of January 2018, weeks before a multi-crore scam in the Punjab National Bank rocked the Indian banking industry. The duo allegedly bribed officials of the state-run bank to get Letters of Undertaking (LoU) based on which they availed loans from overseas banks that remained unpaid.

Choksi had mysteriously gone missing on May 23 from Antigua and Barbuda, where he has been staying since 2018 as a citizen after he fled Delhi.

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