Mehul Choksi, a fugitive diamond trader involved in the Punjab National Bank (PNB) loan fraud, was arrested by Belgian authorities following a request from Indian agencies like the CBI and ED. Choksi was detained on April 12 while undergoing treatment in Belgium, having been a fugitive since 2018. His arrest followed the reactivation of extradition requests after the lifting of an Interpol Red Corner Notice against him. Indian officials are keen to extradite him for trial, despite his lawyers claiming he is unfit to travel due to health issues, including blood cancer. Choksi had been planning to relocate to Switzerland for further medical care when apprehended. He is currently held in a detention center, and the extradition process is anticipated to be protracted.
Choksi is expected to apply for bail on medical grounds and may cite past allegations of attempted kidnapping by Indian operatives in his defense. Indian agencies believe that even if he secures bail, he will not return to Antigua, and deportation options are being explored to facilitate his return to India. He faces accusations of defrauding PNB of over Rs 6,095 crore through a major banking scam involving the fraudulent issuance of Letters of Undertaking (LOUs). The investigations are based on testimonies and evidence from key individuals linked to Choksi’s Gitanjali Group, with the CBI also pursuing cases against him and his co-accused, Nirav Modi.
