Fugitive Indian businessman Mehul Choksi faced a legal setback in the UK as the High Court of Justice, King’s Bench Division, ordered him to deposit 677,000 pounds (around ₹8 crore) as security for costs in a civil lawsuit linked to his alleged kidnapping.
Choksi had filed the case in May 2024 against the Indian government and five UK residents, claiming he was abducted from Antigua in 2021 and forcibly taken to Dominica. He sought damages for physical and psychological injuries. However, the court observed that there was no strong likelihood of success in his claims and that the case did not meet the threshold for a high probability of winning.
The defendants, including Gurmit Singh, Gurjit Bhandal, Leslie Farrow-Guy, and Gurdip Bath, requested the security deposit to protect themselves from the risk of not recovering legal costs if Choksi’s case failed. The court agreed, stating that it was a reasonable measure given the dispute over facts and the real risk that an order for costs against Choksi might not be enforceable.
The court clarified that requiring the deposit would not stifle Choksi’s claim but would ensure fairness to the defendants. The Indian government has consistently denied all allegations, while Choksi continues to pursue legal remedies across multiple jurisdictions, including Belgium, where his appeal against extradition was rejected.
This latest order adds to Choksi’s ongoing legal troubles and underscores the challenges faced by fugitive businessmen in pursuing international claims.
