Who is Barbara Jabarika, the Hungarian woman who allegedly honey-trapped Choksi?
According to Choksi, he was allegedly abducted, tortured, and placed on a boat that took him from Antigua to Dominica.
Fugitive diamond trader Mehul Choksi, who is wanted in India in connection with the ₹13,500 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case, was arrested by Belgian police over the weekend.
The Gitanjali Group owner was arrested jointly by Indian and Belgian authorities when he was reportedly preparing to flee to Switzerland under the guise of seeking medical treatment.
The arrest marks a breakthrough in a relentless seven-year pursuit by Indian authorities across three countries. However, in the infamous Mehul Choksi saga, one of the most notable twists was what he claims to be an elaborate 'honey-trap and abduction plot' involving a Hungarian woman named Barbara Jabarika.
Who is Barbara Jabarika?
Choksi fled India in 2018 and resurfaced in Antigua and Barbuda, where he had acquired citizenship through investment. For years, he stayed under the radar until he appeared in Dominica in May 2021 and was arrested for illegal entry. That’s when the Barbara Jabarika angle unravelled.
According to Choksi, he was allegedly abducted, tortured, and placed on a boat that took him from Antigua to Dominica. And Barbara, he claimed, was part of the plot.
Also Read | Mehul Choksi arrested: Here's why his extradition to India can take a long time
Barbara's LinkedIn profile describes her as a “Property Investment Agent” from Bulgaria who is an “Experienced Sales Negotiator with a demonstrated history of working in Direct Sales and the Real Estate Industry. Skilled in Customer Service, Sales Negotiations, Leadership and Team Coordination. Over 10 years of Sales Experience, achieving Management positions in Property and Retail.”
Choksi's wife Priti alleged that they met Barbara Jabarika, a Hungarian national, in 2020 and alleged that she was part of a honeytrap plan, NDTV reported.
Choksi claimed that Barbara befriended him under false pretences and invited him over for dinner just before the alleged abduction—and once there, he was overpowered and forcibly taken away.
However, Barbara trashed Priti Choksi's claims and said that these allegations and reports that she was Choksi's "girlfriend" were untrue, the publication said.
Also Read | How India, Belgium jointly stopped Mehul Choksi from fleeing to Switzerland
Barbara claimed that she has her own income and business and does not need his cash, support, hotel booking, fake jewellery, or anything.
She further claimed that Mehul Choksi faked his identity and introduced himself as 'Raj' to befriend her.
"Raj (Mehul Choksi) was the one who approached me, asked for my number and 'befriended me', totally the opposite of what his wife says," an NDTV report quoted Barbara as saying.
What about Mehul Choksi's extradition to India?
As per former diplomat KP Fabian, extraditing the fugitive diamond merchant may prove to be a tough task.
Fabian said that while India could request extradition, the decision was in the hands of the Belgian government. He also said that Choksi is well within his rights to challenge the extradition and can make an appeal in court.
"It will be great if it can be done, but again, Rana, how many years has he taken us? When was 26/11, 2008. And we got him in 2025. So, all these, all the extradition proceedings will take time. But there can be obstacles," he said.
