Supreme Court of Canada rules to extradite Rakesh Saxena

BANGKOK: -- The Attorney-General is trying to accelerate the extradition process to bring Rakesh Saxena back to face charges of bank fraud after the Supreme Court of Canada has ruled for Saxena's extradition.

But Saxena is appealing the Supreme Court's verdict, by claiming that his safety would be at risk if he were to be sent back to Bangkok during this time, according to Sirisak Tiyaphand, the director-general of the Foreign Division of the Attorney-General, said.

Saxena fled for Vancouver, Canada in 1996 after the collapse of the Bangkok Bank of Commerce, which cost the government's bailout of more than Bt100 billion.

-- The Nation 2008-11-11

Related link:

Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rakesh_Saxena

He's in good company with the Rwanda genocide perpatrators and Bosnian war criminals that claimed refugee status. Maybe he can hang out with the hundreds of of other south east asian criminals like the Tamil Tigers or bombers of Air India that walk the streets of Canadian cities untouched by the law. Thailand looks hard ass compared to Canada when it comes to being a refuge for thugs, and criminals.

Some of these high profile cases should be able to get refugee status based on their persecution on ThaiVisa!

"Some of these high profile cases should be able to get refugee status based on their persecution on ThaiVisa! "

Nice one, 'Scott'.

Thanks to Canada's laws, and the ability to seemingly file endless appeals after appeals, it could well turn out the Rakesh Saxena may walk free and never be extradited to Thailand.

VANCOUVER - A top B.C. judge fears that Canada might suffer a "black eye" if the

notorious extradition case of Rakesh Saxena passes a cutoff date for the fraud-related

offences he faces in Thailand.

If the longest-running extradition process in Canadian history is not completed by

July 2010, when charges against the former Thai banker become statute-barred, he'll walk free.

Noting that the case has dragged on for "years and years," B.C. Court of Appeal Justice Edward Chiasson

said that he was worried it will be an embarrassment to Canada if the July 2010 deadline passes and

there is no resolution.

The judge made his comments at a bail hearing for Saxena after B.C. Justice Minister Rob Nicholson ordered

he be surrendered for extradition.

Chiasson held out the possibility that he might refuse Saxena's $2-million bail but in the end

agreed to continue the house arrest that the accused has been held under for years.

Saxena, who has been fighting extradition for more than 10 years, is entitled to launch a judicial

review of Nicholson's decision and he has done so, but the earliest the review might be held

is May 2009 due to prior trial commitments by his lawyer.

If Saxena loses the appeal, he is entitled to seek leave to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada but

the earliest that leave application might be heard is likely the fall of 2009.

Then if the Supreme Court agrees to hear the case, the earliest it might hear the appeal is the

spring of 2010, pushing it close to the 2010 deadline. Complicating matters is the fact that his

lawyers have also filed a separate legal challenge to the extradition in B.C. Supreme Court.

That matter is expected to be addressed by the lower court early next year.

Thailand requested the extradition of Saxena in 1996 to stand trial for fraud in relation to

an $88-million loan that was never paid. He was first ordered to surrender himself for extradition

in 2003 but in 2006 the order was suspended while Ottawa reconsidered the case in the wake of

a military coup in Thailand.

Earlier this week, Nicholson dismissed concerns expressed by Saxena's lawyers and found there

would be no risk to having him return to Thailand.

"I am satisfied that there continues to be no evidence to suggest that Mr. Saxena would

personally face torture or cruel and unusual treatment or punishment upon his return to Thailand," said

Nicholson in an 18-page decision.

Greg DelBigio, Saxena's lawyer, refused comment.

Link: Thai fugitive's appeals push extradition case to deadline

Isn't that great ? Lawyer just has to say "Sorry Judge, I'm kind of busy right now, can we postpone for 5 months ?". Do that once or twice and bingo ! Times up and Saxena goes free.

He's been giggling his butt off, living off the money he stole, committing fraud in Canada, knowing he can't be extradited. A little over a year to go and he can get his passport back and go anywhere he wants, even back to Thailand if he chose to.

Little wonder criminals seem to like it in Canada so much.

Who is being brought to justice , Saxena or his lawyer ? He should be given a date to appear and up to him who he brings as a defence , if it has been found he has enough evidence against him to prove him guilty , why should he be allowed to continue this charade with money that is not his ? Yeah , Yeah , this is Canada soft touch .

Welcome to Canada!!We let everyone into our country.Our immigration is already are a joke,they have no way of knowing how many criminals are lurrking our streets.We welcome everyone.

Welcome to Canada!!We let everyone into our country.Our immigration is already are a joke,they have no way of knowing how many criminals are lurrking our streets.We welcome everyone.

That's not fair, the UK has always been leading the way in this one. dam_n, booting Toxin out has meant that UK immigration policies now look better.