INDIA FEARS THAT MEHUL CHOKSI'S UK LAWYERS WILL UNWITTINGLY DEPOSIT CLEANED CRIMINAL PROCEEDS INTO THE COURT REGISTRY IN THE PENDING BRITISH CIVIL SUIT

Michael Polak

Reports from India have confirmed that there are well-placed fears, on the part of the Government of India, that the team of British lawyers headed by barrister MICHAEL POLAK will unwittingly deposit cleaned criminal proceeds into the court registry, in the civil case where Choksi alleges he was kidnapped, in an abortive Indian attempt to bring him home to face fraud charges. The High Court has now required him to place £677,000, for costs, in the event he loses the case, after declaring that there has been insufficient evidence produced to date to prove his sensational allegations of an international kidnapping plot orchestrated by India.

India has claimed in the media that Choksi is behind the acquisition of assets by third parties under his control, using his funds, which were obtained through bank fraud, and that these assets would now be produced as legitimate sources of funds for the required cost deposit. As Choksi's lead lawyer, British barrister MICHAEL POLAK, is a human rights campaigner with little or no experience in money laundering and financial crime cases, India's concern appears to have a factual basis.

Furthermore, in its most recent opinion, the court openly questioned Choksi's ability to produce legitimate funds, and even wondered aloud how he was paying his attorneys. We echo that concern, and believe that the Court must initiate an inquiry into both Source of Funds for the proposed cost deposit, and the Source of Wealth for the attorneys' fees which were used to retain Mr. Polak.

Some legal observers, who have been watching the lengthy legal proceedings surrounding Choksi's extradition, in Antigua as well as Belgium, believe that the UK civil suit was only filed to give him leverage in his ultimate criminal case in India, when it comes to sentencing. They believe the kidnapping allegations are a fictional contrivance employed as a purely tactical move by his international team of attorneys. My 2023 Investigative Report concluded that there was evidence of Choksi's failed plan to escape to extradition-free Cuba, where he had a residence already set up for his arrival.