Editor’s Note
A Belgian court has upheld India’s extradition request for fugitive diamond trader Mehul Choksi, marking a significant legal step in the ongoing case.
NEW DELHI: The Ministry of External Affairs, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the CBI achieved a major success on Friday. A court in Antwerp, Belgium, approved the extradition to India of fugitive diamond trader Mehul Choksi, one of India’s most wanted.
The court dismissed Choksi’s appeal against extradition, upholding India’s extradition request as correct and justified. With this, the first legal hurdle for Choksi’s extradition was cleared on Friday. Meanwhile, after extradition, Mehul Choksi will be held in Mumbai’s Arthur Road Jail.
CBI sources in the case said they had expected this outcome. The order came in their favor. The Antwerp court validated his arrest by Belgian authorities based on India’s request. In this case, Indian officials from the Ministry of External Affairs and the CBI assisted Belgian prosecutors in presenting strong arguments against Choksi. He is alleged to have, along with his nephew Nirav Modi, executed a ₹13,000 crore fraud at Punjab National Bank.
Officials said they were happy to have successfully cleared the first legal hurdle. However, Choksi still has the option to appeal this decision in a superior court in Belgium. But we will also take legal opinion on what Choksi can do now and how much time it will take. CBI sources say they hope Choksi will soon be on Indian soil. Choksi could be brought to India within one to two months. A team will also go to Belgium for this.
In this case, earlier during a hearing in mid-September, after hearing Belgian prosecutors and Choksi’s defense lawyers, the court had ruled that Choksi’s arrest was valid. Choksi (66) was arrested in Belgium on April 11 based on an extradition request sent by the CBI. His bail applications have been rejected by various courts in that country.
Meanwhile, India has also assured Belgian authorities that if extradition occurs, Choksi will be held in Barrack No. 12 of Mumbai’s Arthur Road Jail. There, he will be kept completely secure and in accordance with international standards. He will also not be kept alone there.