(IANS)
New Delhi, June 10: In a massive setback for the Indian fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi, wanted in India in Rs 13,500 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case, the Dominican government declared him as a "prohibited immigrant" in their country.
An order issued by the Ministry of National Security and Home Affairs on May 25 said, "in accordance to section 5(1)(f) of the Immigration and Passport Act Chapter 18:01 of the 2017 Revised laws of the Commonwealth of Dominica, you, Mehul Chinubhai Choksi, are hereby declared a prohibited immigrant."
"I further direct that the necessary action be taken to have the said prohibited immigrant removed from the Commonwealth of Dominica in keeping with the procedure laid out in the said Act," added the order, signed by Dominican minister Rayburn Blackmoore.
Meanehile, Dominica Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit termed Choksi as an "Indian citizen" and stated that the courts will decide what happens to the fugitive, Antigua News Room reported on Wednesday.
According to the Caribbean news outlet, Skerrit also added that the government will protect the rights of Choksi as he awaits trial.
Currently, Choksi has got interim relief from immediate repatriation to India by the Dominican court, which adjourned the matter of his detention.
Choksi had gone missing on May 23 from Antigua and Barbuda sparking a massive manhunt. He was reportedly captured in Dominica on May 26.
Earlier, Choksi had appeared before a local magistrate in Dominica and pleaded not guilty of entering Dominica illegally.
However, Choksi's lawyers had alleged that he was abducted from Antigua by policemen looking like Antiguan and Indian, and brought to Dominica on a boat forcibly.
The latest development is a setback for Choksi as it counters the abduction theory.
The diamantaire is wanted in India by the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate in Rs 13,500 crore case. He had taken the citizenship of Antigua in 2017 and left India on January 4, 2018 days before the case came to light.
(IANS)
Bengaluru, December 2: The Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Arun Dhumal hailed the league as the best 'Make in India' brand post-independence.
Arun Dhumal was speaking during the RCB Innovation Lab's Leaders Meet India in Bengaluru held this week.
While talking about the fan insights and engagement of IPL and its franchises, Dhumal said, "We work as a team with all franchises, we are all partners. We have seen at the recently held World Cup games, that they (fans) were there for Team India, but at the same time, they were rooting for RCB also, which is a great thing and we are very proud of that. Personally, I feel IPL is the best Make in India brand we can think of post-independence."
The media rights for the IPL have grown from Rs 6,000 crores to INR 48,000 crores and the league is only second to the National Football League (NFL) across all sporting leagues in the world. Dhumal believes the widespread popularity and success of the league will act as a catalyst in its evolution over the next 10 years, as per a press release from Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).
"If I have to see how it has gone over the last 15 years and if I have to go by estimates going forward, we are expecting media rights to go somewhere close to USD 50 billion by around 2043. Going forward, we need to keep innovating, keep doing better in terms of fan engagement, and keep making it better in terms of the quality of games. Now that cricket is becoming part of the Olympics and with the Women's Premier League taking it to a different level for women's cricket, I see a lot of hope and light at the end of the tunnel.
Because of the way it has been happening for the last 15 years, it is only going to get better," he said.
RCB Innovation Lab's Leaders Meet India brought together the biggest game changers from across the sporting world, offering a truly global perspective on the present and future of the sports industry and how India can become a powerhouse in the business of sports.
Dissecting the role of IPL in earning India a different reputation from the entire world, Dhumal commented, "IPL is the most-watched cricket league in the world. We have fans across the world and when they come to watch, they get to see the diversity and culture of India.
They will watch a match up North down South, East to West, because teams are spread all across the country. We are a very diverse country in terms of different states, different cultures, and different languages being spoken but this is one platform which is rooted so well that you are able to showcase in India to the globe."
(ANI)