LONDON, CMC – The High Court of Justice, King’s Bench Division, has ordered Indian fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi to deposit £677,000 (One GBP=US 1.36 cents) with the court as security for costs in his lawsuit against the Indian government and five others over claims that he was abducted in Antigua and Barbuda in 2021 as part of a conspiracy.
In May 2024, Choksi had sued the Indian government and United Kingdom residents, Gurdip Bath, Barbara Jarabik, Gurmit Singh, Gurjit Singh Bhandal, and Leslie Farrow-Guy, alleging that on May 23, 2021, he was kidnapped in Antigua and taken by boat to Dominica at the behest of India, a charge denied by the Indian government at multiple forums.
Choksi alleged that Bath, Jarabik, Singh, Bhandal, and Farrow-Guy were involved, and he was assaulted during the voyage. He has claimed damages for alleged injuries sustained.
During the proceedings, Singh, Bhandal, Farrow-Guy, and Bath had demanded that Choksi deposit “security for costs” with the court to cover their expenses in the event of a favourable verdict.
The court is scheduled to determine in November 2026 whether it has jurisdiction to hear the matter in the United Kingdom, after Justice Mansfield noted that there is little, if any, connection between the events and England, other than Choksi’s statement that the conspiracy was hatched in England.
“There is no direct evidence of that,” the judgment further noted, adding “there is no evidence one way or the other as to where the plan was hatched or furthered”.
During a hearing held on 18 December 2025, legal representatives for both sides argued whether Mehul Choksi should be required to provide security for costs.
Should the court rule that the defamation claim can proceed in the United Kingdom, a separate and substantially higher security for costs application would follow.
According to submissions made during the hearing, a full trial on the merits is expected to extend beyond 20 hearing days, potentially increasing total legal costs to an estimated three to four million pounds, depending on the scope and duration of the proceedings.
Choksi alleges in his statements that the governments of Antigua and Dominica participated, convened, or acquiesced in the kidnap.
“It is alleged that the governments of Antigua and Dominica participated, connived or acquiesced in the kidnap; though no claim is brought in these proceedings against either government, ” Justice Mansfield said.
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