In a major legal blow and strategic retreat, fugitive diamond trader Mehul Choksi has formally withdrawn his multi-million-pound abduction and damages lawsuit against the Government of India and Hungarian national Barbara Jarabik in the London High Court. Represented by prominent King’s Counsel Edward Fitzgerald, Choksi had alleged that Indian state agents orchestrated an elaborate international “honeytrap” operation in May 2021 to unlawfully abduct him from Antigua and Barbuda, transport him to Dominica, and deport him without due process.
Failure to Deposit Security Costs Forces Claim Dismissal
The abrupt collapse of the lawsuit unfolded after Choksi failed to comply with strict financial orders issued by the British judiciary:
Mandatory Security Costs: Presiding Judge Justice Mansfield had previously directed Choksi to deposit substantial security costs to cover the anticipated legal expenses of key co-defendants should his civil lawsuit fail.
Over £677,000 Ordered: The court ordered security payments of £425,000 for the legal fees of Gurdeep Bath (High Commissioner of Saint Kitts and Nevis to India) and his former driver Lesley Farrow-Guy, alongside another £252,000 for defendants Gurmeet Singh and Gurjeet Singh Bhandal.
Default Leads to Dismissal: Choksi failed to remit the court-mandated funds before the stipulated procedural deadline, compelling the court to dismiss claims against the four male co-defendants.
Complete Case Withdrawal: Following the dismissal, legal representatives from 9BR Chambers—who defended Bath and Farrow-Guy—confirmed that Choksi’s legal team subsequently withdrew the remaining claims against both the Indian government and Barbara Jarabik.
High Court Rejects Allegations as Unsubstantiated Hearsay
During earlier hearings, Justice Mansfield expressed grave reservations regarding the factual foundation and evidentiary weight behind the fugitive’s high-profile claims:
Absence of Independent Witnesses: The bench observed that the bulk of the submitted materials relied heavily on uncorroborated hearsay, noting that there were no direct witnesses to the alleged abduction and physical assault other than Choksi himself.
The Honeytrap Theory: Choksi claimed that co-defendants coordinated the plot from the United Kingdom before traveling to Antigua, where Jarabik allegedly lured him into an apartment before he was forcibly placed onto a vessel bound for Dominica.
Mounting Extradition Woes in Antwerp
The legal withdrawal in London comes at a precarious juncture for the fugitive businessman, who remains a central accused in the £13,000 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud alongside his nephew Nirav Modi:
Incarceration in Belgium: Choksi is currently held in an Antwerp prison facility in Belgium, where he continues to contest an extradition order aimed at returning him to India to face prosecution by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Significant Diplomatic Vindication: The collapse of the London High Court action removes a contentious international civil claim frequently cited by Choksi’s defense team to stall ongoing extradition proceedings across European jurisdictions.