Belgium Rejects Mehul Choksi’s Plea, He will be sent to India soon in Rs.13850 Crore PNB Scam

Belgium’s highest court has rejected the plea of Indian fugitive diamond trader Mehul Choksi, clearing the way for his extradition to India in the ₹13,850-crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam case. Choksi had approached Belgium’s top court on October 30, challenging an earlier order passed by the Antwerp Court of Appeals on October 17.

Mehul Choksi was arrested on 11th of April by Antwerp police following a formal extradition request from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). He has remained in custody since then, with multiple bail pleas denied due to concerns he might flee. During the hearing, Belgian prosecutors supported India’s case, while Choksi’s legal team opposed the move. The court confirmed that all charges, including cheating, criminal conspiracy, and corruption, are valid under Belgian law as well.

Mehul Choksi had claimed that Indian jails do not have adequate facilities to take care of him, as he is suffering from severe medical issues. To counter his claims about unsafe Indian prison conditions, Indian agencies submitted photographs of Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai, where Choksi will be kept after extradition. They showed that the barrack meant for him has private toilets and basic facilities and is safe for inmates.

In a letter to the Belgian government, the Government said that if Choksi is extradited to India, he will be kept in Barrack No. 12 of Mumbai’s Arthur Road Jail. This barrack can house six prisoners per cell. The government assured that Choksi will be treated humanely and given more than 14 facilities, including proper food, water, and medical care. The date on which this communication was sent to Belgium has not been revealed.

The Antwerp court had clearly stated that Choksi would face no risk of torture, ill-treatment, or unfair trial if he is sent back to India. It also confirmed that the arrest warrants issued by a Mumbai special court in 2018 and 2021 were valid. The court said Choksi failed to give solid proof to support his claims that he would be tortured or denied justice in India. It also rejected his argument that he was being targeted for political reasons.

The court also pointed out that the crimes listed in India — such as fraud, forgery, corruption, and cheating — are also crimes under Belgian law. It firmly rejected Choksi’s argument that these were “political offences” and said there was no evidence of discrimination based on religion, nationality, or political beliefs.

Choksi had earlier claimed that he was kidnapped from Antigua by Indian agencies, but the Belgian court said there was no proof to support this allegation. It also dismissed his claim that Indian courts are not independent and that media coverage would prevent a fair trial.

Choksi, who owns the Gitanjali Group, is accused of cheating PNB of more than ₹13,850 crore along with his nephew Nirav Modi. This scam is considered one of the largest banking frauds in India’s history.

PNB scam, is one of India’s largest banking frauds, amounting to more than Rs 13,000 crore. It involved fraudulent issuance of Letters of Undertaking (LoUs) by officials at PNB’s Brady House branch in Mumbai, which allowed Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi’s companies to obtain credit from overseas banks without proper collateral or approval.

Following the exposure of the scam, Nirav Modi fled to the UK and was arrested in London in March 2019. He has since been held at Wandsworth Prison, fighting extradition to India. In February 2021, a London court approved his extradition, but Nirav Modi continues to appeal the decision.

Choksi, meanwhile, escaped to Antigua and Barbuda in 2018, where he obtained citizenship. He was detained in Belgium earlier this year, reportedly while seeking medical treatment. Both Choksi and Modi have been declared “Fugitive Economic Offenders” under India’s 2018 law, enabling authorities to seize and sell their assets.