Belgian Court Denies Mehul Choksi's Extradition Appeal
Belgian Court Denies Mehul Choksi's Extradition Appeal
Belgian Court of Cassation upholds Antwerp court, denying Mehul Choksi's bid to stall India's extradition over the ₹13,000 crore PNB fraud case.
The Court of Cassation in Belgium has rejected fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi's appeal against India’s extradition request, upholding the lower court’s view that there are no grounds for a flagrant denial of justice, torture, or inhuman or degrading treatment in India. The decision also imposed costs of €104 on Choksi.
Choksi, who fled India in 2018 days before the ₹13,000 crore Punjab National Bank fraud was detected, is fighting extradition to face charges related to the case. Indian investigators accuse him of involvement in multiple bank frauds between 2018 and 2022. Choksi argued that his trial in India could amount to a political trial and raised concerns about potential abduction and the risk of mistreatment, but the Court of Cassation found these arguments inadmissible and did not re-examine the facts.
The Court of Cassation’s role is limited to ensuring the correct application of the law and adherence to procedural rules; it does not reassess the substantive merits of the extradition request. Consequently, the extradition process remains on track, with Choksi in custody in Belgium following his arrest in Antwerp at India's request.
Additionally, the ruling touched on earlier Interpol-related matters, noting that the Commission for the Control of Interpol’s Files had removed Choksi’s Red Notice in 2022, a point he had used to bolster his case. The decision aligns with prior Antwerp court rulings that dismissed his arguments about kidnapping, fair trial concerns, and other alleged procedural irregularities.
