When Mehul Choksi Cried ‘Abduction’ and Linked a Hungarian Woman to the ‘Honeytrap’ Scheme

Almost four years ago, before his recent Belgian arrest, Indian diamantaire fugitive Mehul Choksi was at the center of a global controversy when he was apprehended in the Dominican Republic for unauthorized entry. His arrest in the Caribbean island nation was associated with a shocking allegation that he was kidnapped by Indian agents from Antigua and Barbuda.

Choksi, a former owner of the Gitanaljali Group, is one of the key accused in the ₹12,636-crore Punjab National Bank fraud case. He had escaped India in January 2018 and found shelter in Antigua and Barbuda by gaining citizenship through the nation’s investment programme.

The Barbara Jabarika Controversy with Mehul Choksi

Amid the fallout from Mehul Choksi’s alleged abduction, a Hungarian woman named Barbara Jabarika was dragged into the spotlight. Mehul Choksi’s wife, Priti Choksi, alleged that the couple had met Jabarika in 2020 and that she was involved in a planned honeytrap operation. However, Barbara strongly refuted these accusations and dismissed suggestions that she was Choksi’s romantic partner.

“I have my own income and business. I don’t need his cash, support, hotel booking, fake jewellery, or anything,” she said.

Barbara also claimed that she had met Choksi in August 2020, when he had introduced himself as “Raj” and made the first contact. “Raj (Mehul Choksi) was the one who approached me, asked for my number and ‘befriended me’, totally the opposite of what his wife says,” Barbara said. She also disclosed that Choksi had once told her that they could meet in Cuba, which meant he was going to move there.

But Choksi accused Barbara of being an accomplice to his abduction. He said she didn’t intervene when he was being assaulted and put on a boat. He characterized her actions as suspicious and implied that she was “an integral part of this whole plan.”

Priti Choksi brushed aside the charge of ignorance brought by Barbara. “How is it possible that despite all the media attention and public furore surrounding this case, that this lady who has an Instagram account with thousands of followers was in the dark about all this, and did not come out to speak in defence of her ‘friend’?” she queried. “These bogus claims are only an attempt to present a wrong picture of my husband,” she continued.

The Dominican Republic Detention

In May 2021, Choksi surfaced in the Dominican Republic and was immediately arrested for unauthorized entry. He claimed that he was kidnapped in Antigua, tortured, and then put on a boat to the Dominican Republic. His version prompted a diplomatic and legal confrontation, with Indian authorities seeking his extradition.

Mehul Choksi’s claims included being forcibly taken by Indian operatives, and he maintained that he had no intention of traveling to the Dominican Republic. He was imprisoned there for 51 days before receiving relief from the British Queen’s Privy Council, which enabled his return to Antigua and derailed India’s extradition attempt. The charges of illegal entry were later dropped by Dominican authorities.

Interpol Red Notice Dropped to Mehul Choksi

Interpol, in March 2023, dropped a Red Notice filed against Choksi. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) responded sharply, saying that Choksi had made “false claims, concocted dramatic stories and imaginary narratives” before international forums, including the Commission for Control of Interpol’s Files, to prolong his extradition.

The agency stressed that a Red Notice is “neither a pre-requisite nor a requirement for extradition proceedings.”

Arrested Again — This Time in Belgium

Indian authorities 2024 received word that Choksi was in Belgium. Agencies promptly tipped off Belgian counterparts and provided all case files. On Saturday, Choksi was arrested on charges of attempting to escape to Switzerland. Choksi reportedly provided fake documents to get a Belgian residency card and hid his Indian and Antiguan nationality.

Priti Choksi, a Belgian citizen, has also been under the lens, although she has not been officially implicated.

Choksi’s attorney had informed a court in Mumbai earlier this year that he was unable to come back to India since he was in Belgium receiving treatment for blood cancer. His attorney, Vijay Aggarwal, said they would now move for relief in Belgium on medical grounds.

“He is undergoing cancer treatment and wants to continue it in Switzerland. He is currently not a flight risk,” Aggarwal stated. Choksialso had doubts regarding the safety of Choksi should he be extradited to India. “We believe that as soon as he arrives, he will receive inhuman treatment. He wants to protect himself from this,” added the lawyer.