Editor’s Note
An Antwerp court has approved the extradition of fugitive diamond trader Mehul Choksi to India, validating his arrest by Belgian authorities. Choksi retains the right to appeal the decision in Belgium’s High Court.
An Antwerp court has approved the extradition of fugitive diamond trader Mehul Choksi on Friday, stating that his arrest by Belgian authorities at India’s request was valid. Officials familiar with the development provided this information. Choksi has the option to appeal this decision in Belgium’s High Court.
Officials stated that prosecutors informed the court that the risk of him fleeing remains and he cannot be released from prison. After hearing arguments from Belgian prosecutors and Choksi’s defense lawyers during hearings in September, the court concluded that his arrest was lawful.
Choksi was arrested in Belgium on April 11 based on an extradition request sent by the CBI. Various courts in that country have rejected his bail petitions.
It is noteworthy that India has also assured Belgian authorities that if Mehul is extradited, he will be kept in Barrack No. 12 of Mumbai’s Arthur Road Jail.
Mehul and his nephew Nirav Modi are wanted in a ₹13,000 crore fraud case at Punjab National Bank. This scam was executed through fraudulent Letters of Undertaking (LoUs) in collusion with some bank officials at PNB’s Brady House branch in Mumbai.
Fugitive economic offender Nirav Modi has been in a London jail since 2019 after being detained by authorities based on legal requests made by the ED and CBI in this case.
