Belgian Court Clears Mehul Choksi Extradition to India

The Court of Cassation, Belgium’s top court, rejected fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi’s final appeal against his arrest and India's extradition request, keeping in place the Antwerp Court of Appeal’s earlier decision. This move effectively clears the path for Choksi’s transfer to India to face charges linked to the Rs 13,000 crore Punjab National Bank fraud.

Choksi, 65, has been in a prison in Antwerp since his arrest on India's request earlier this year. Indian investigators accuse him of six bank frauds between 2018 and 2022 related to the PNB scam. He had fled to Antigua and Barbuda in January 2018, and his case has drawn international attention as authorities pursue accountability across borders.

The fugitive businessman had argued that extradition could expose him to a political trial or torture in India. Antwerp’s court of appeals previously dismissed these claims, ruling that he was not the subject of a political trial and that there was no risk of torture or denial of justice in India. The Court of Cassation’s rejection of Choksi’s appeal thus preserves the earlier ruling and signals that Belgium may move forward with formal extradition procedures.

With the top Belgian court’s decision, the formal extradition process could begin in Belgian courts, after which Choksi would potentially be sent to India to face prosecution. Indian investigators welcomed the ruling as a positive step in pursuing justice in the PNB fraud case.

Cover image source: Belgium top court rejects fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi's appeal against extradition 🔗

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