Can’t Return to India Due to Threat of Mob Lynching, says Mehul Choksi
Mumbai: Seeking cancellation of non-bailable warrants against him, absconding accused Mehul Choksi has cited “the recent trend of mob lynching” and said there is a threat to his life due to which he cannot travel to India. Choksi on Wednesday approached the special CBI court in Mumbai seeking cancellation of two non-bailable warrants issued against him in April and May, stating 10 reasons for his non-appearance before the court in the Punjab National Bank alleged fraud case.
“It is most respectfully submitted that there have been various reported cases of mob lynching and one of the cases was in relation to an accused who was mob lynched while being inside a jail. This recent trend of mob lynching is growing and is attempting to giving justice on the road by the general public, and subsequently there is no prosecution because of non-identification of a particular individual is giving rise to the said tendency (sic),” his plea says.
Choksi said there is a threat to his life from various people and hence he is unable to disclose his current location in public. He has listed five groups that have “grievances and anger” against him, including existing employees, whose salaries and dues have not been paid because of freezing of his accounts, families of employees who have been arrested, landlords, creditors of supplies and services, whose dues have not been paid, and customers whose jewellery has been taken away. Choksi has also claimed other “safety threats”, including from jail inmates.
Among other reasons cited by Choksi in his plea, filed through advocates Sanjay Abbot and Rahul Agarwal, are his medical condition, revocation of his passport and “prejudice” of the investigating agencies.
Choksi has claimed that while his case is “completely different” from that of his nephew Nirav Modi, the jewellery of his flagship companies had been attached.
Meanwhile, another accused in the case, Manish Bosamiya, has applied for bail on the grounds that while the CBI has arrested him as an accused, the ED has named him as a witness in its prosecution complaint.
courtesy : indianexpress.com
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
DJ Black Coffee's event in Goa cancelled after NOC revoked on Good Friday
Panaji (PTI): The Goa leg of Grammy-winning South African DJ Black Coffee's India tour was cancelled at the last minute on Friday evening after authorities revoked the event's No Objection Certificate (NOC), a move intended to honour the solemnity of Good Friday.
Officials on Saturday cited the need to respect local sentiments and the religious significance of the day as the primary reason for withdrawing the permission previously granted to host the "Sunset-to-Night" event.
The opposition Congress demanded a probe by the Economic Offences Cell of the state against the organisers.
The revocation of permission by the Communidade of Anjuna, in whose land the event was scheduled to be hosted, followed an objection by locals and the Congress, citing the solemn occasion of Good Friday and the upcoming Easter Sunday.
Local police officials confirmed that the organisers of "Sunset to Night" have cancelled the event, leaving many revellers disappointed.
Sebastian D'Souza, an attorney of Communidade of Anjuna, in a letter addressed to organisers, stated that the NOC granted to them on March 4, 2026, to host the musical event on April 3 in survey number 206/1 of Anjuna village has been unanimously revoked by the managing committee.
D'Souza stated that the date coincides with Holy Week, particularly Good Friday.
"This has been decided in the interest of residents of Anjuna, Vagator and Chapora," the letter reads.
The Comunidade of Anjuna is a traditional, collective land-holding institution in North Goa, part of the twelve comunidades of Bardez.
A huge crowd assembled outside the venue of the programme on Friday night as the word spread about the cancellation.
Several netizens posted reels on social media claiming they were informed about the cancellation at the last minute.
Earlier, the Congress had objected to hosting such an event on the sacred occasion of Good Friday, calling it "deeply insensitive and unacceptable."
"Your event, @Paradoxindia_, in Goa on the sacred occasion of Good Friday is deeply insensitive and unacceptable. @RealBlackCoffee , this is not just about music- it is about respecting faith. By going ahead with a techno show on a day of mourning for Christians, you have hurt religious sentiments not just in Goa, but across the world," Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President Amit Patkar had written on X.
Speaking at a press conference on Saturday, Patkar said that the state Congress would file a complaint with the Economic Offences Cell (EOC) against the organisers for allegedly selling tickets online without obtaining necessary permissions from authorities such as the Goa Pollution Control Board and the Fire and Emergency Services.
The event organisers could not be contacted immediately for their comment on the Congress leader's claim.
While at least 3,000 people had arrived in Goa to attend the event, the access road to the venue was not wide enough for Fire and Emergency Services vehicles to reach, Patkar claimed.
