LONDON: British-Indian duo, 45-year-old Kiranjit Ghuman and 46-year-old Sukhijit Singh Ghuman, are in a legal bind. Living on their 23-acre property in Nottinghamshire, England, they're in quite the predicament. The US government wants them because of supposed links to a medicine smuggling scheme.
The last year, a demand from the US had them arrested. Next, they were in front of judges in a court in Westminster. They told the judges who they were and when they were born. The court has set aside three days for hearings about sending them to the US, starting on September 16.
The couple have some serious rules to follow. From midnight until morning, they can't leave their home. Their passports, US green cards, and Kiranjit's ID from India have been taken away. Sukhijit can't keep any ID from Dubai either. On top of that, they must touch base with the police each week, can't sleep anywhere but home, and aren't allowed to leave the country or get travel papers. They've also each had to give the court £150,000 as a surety.
The US government says the duo smuggled medicine from India to the US. They're accused of spreading drugs that weren't approved to multiple states. They're also said to have committed healthcare and wire fraud, and illegally given out medicine. The charges say they particularly arranged for cancer and rheumatology patients to be given smuggled drugs. These patients were treated at medical centres run by Sukhijit in California and Arizona. He returned to the UK from the US in 2023, identifying as a British Sikh.
The duo strongly rebuts the accusations and fights against the extradition effort. In court, Peter Caldwell, acting for the U.S., underscored the intricacy of fraudulent practices concerning healthcare goods and drugs entering into U.S. territory. Caldwell said, "This is quite a complex fraud about the provision of medical goods and drugs across U.S. borders. Therefore, some evidence related to Californian prison conditions and medical proof is due to be served."
As outlined by district judge Briony Clarke, another court date is set for July 30. The case highlights the global legal complexities found in extraditing individuals accused of transnational crimes, notably in the healthcare and drug sector.
ALSO READ:
ALSO WATCH: