Antwerp, Oct 17 – A court in Belgium has cleared the way for Indian authorities to bring fugitive diamond merchant Mehul Choksi back to India for trial in the Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam.
The 66‑year‑old accused of a ₹13,000‑crore fraud has now been ordered to extradite him. Choksi, who set himself up as a high‑profile diamond trader, was seized in Antwerp on 11 April after a formal request from India’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). He has been in custody for more than four months, and his repeated bail applications were denied because the court saw him as a serious flight risk.
During the hearing, Belgian prosecutors – representing New Delhi – clashed with Choksi’s defence team. The judges confirmed that his detention followed legal standards and that the crimes he faces – criminal conspiracy, cheating, breach of trust, destruction of evidence, and corruption – meet Belgium’s “dual criminality” requirement. Charges under Indian law (IPC sections 120B, 201, 409, 420, 477A and the Prevention of Corruption Act sections 7 and 13) are also punishable in Belgium.
India backed its case by citing international treaties that Belgium has ratified, including the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) and the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC). CBI officials traveled to Antwerp three times, met with local lawyers, and supplied documents proving a series of bank frauds between 2018 and 2022. These involved fraudulent letters of undertaking and foreign letters of credit issued without margins, which left PNB with a ₹6,345‑crore loss plus interest.
One contentious issue is Choksi’s citizenship. He says he renounced Indian citizenship in December 2018 after taking Antiguan citizenship a year earlier. Indian officials maintain that he is still an Indian citizen, so he is extraditable.
The Indian Ministry of Home Affairs will arrange humane detention for Choksi in Mumbai’s Arthur Road Jail, ensuring conditions that meet European standards. The facility offers clean water, nutritious meals, newspapers, television, a private doctor, and no solitary confinement. A clean cotton mat, pillow, bedsheet, blanket, and a metal bed for medical reasons are provided, alongside daily cleaning, outdoor exercise, rest areas, and games such as chess, carrom, and badminton.
Choksi’s extradition marks a milestone after eight years of pursuit since he fled India in January 2018, following the PNB scandal that hit the headlines in February. His nephew, Nirav Modi, is currently facing extradition proceedings in the UK.
Indian authorities have called the verdict a “crucial milestone” in the fight against economic fugitives. Choksi has 15 days to appeal to Belgium’s Supreme Court before he can be sent back to India, where he will face a high‑profile trial that could reshape public trust in the country’s financial institutions.
Source: ianslive
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