A court in Antwerp has approved the extradition of fugitive diamond trader Mehul Choksi to India, ruling that his arrest by Belgian police earlier this year was lawful.
Choksi, wanted in India for his alleged role in the ₹13,000 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud, was arrested on April 11, 2025, following a request from Indian authorities. Since then, he has remained in a Belgian prison after multiple bail pleas were rejected on grounds that he could flee again.
Officials called the ruling a major step forward in India’s effort to bring Choksi back, though he still has the right to appeal before a higher court.
During the hearing, prosecutors representing India and Choksi’s legal team presented their arguments. The court observed that the charges against Choksi in India—criminal conspiracy, cheating, breach of trust, destruction of evidence, and corruption—are also offences under Belgian law. This meets the “dual criminality” requirement for extradition under international conventions.
India’s case cites the UN Convention Against Corruption and the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime, both ratified by Belgium. Investigators from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) have visited Belgium three times, working with a European law firm to submit evidence supporting the extradition request.
To address concerns over detention conditions, India assured Belgian authorities that Choksi will be housed in Barrack No. 12 of Mumbai’s Arthur Road Jail, which meets European standards for humane treatment. The cell includes clean water, ventilation, access to media and medical care, and no solitary confinement.
Officials confirmed that the facility complies with the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture’s minimum space and living condition standards.
India also maintains that Choksi remains an Indian citizen despite his claim of renouncing citizenship in 2018 after acquiring Antigua and Barbuda nationality the previous year.
Choksi, along with his nephew Nirav Modi, is accused of defrauding PNB through fraudulent Letters of Undertaking between 2011 and 2018, enabling loans from overseas banks without proper documentation. When the companies defaulted, PNB was forced to repay over ₹6,300 crore, including interest.
Nirav Modi, declared a fugitive economic offender, is currently lodged in a London prison while contesting his own extradition.
A senior Indian official described the Belgian court’s ruling as “the first legal breakthrough” in bringing Choksi back to face trial. However, extradition proceedings will move forward only after his appeal rights are exhausted.
