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Choksi had reached neighboring country Dominica from Antigua in May 2021. Here he was arrested.
Belgium’s Antwerp Court of Appeal has said that there is no documentary evidence of the kidnapping of fugitive diamond businessman Mehul Choksi in Antigua to prove that it happened at the behest of Indian authorities. This decision of the court can pave the way for Choksi’s extradition.
Actually, Choksi is making every possible effort to avoid coming to India. In this series, in June 2022, he had filed a case of kidnapping through honeytrap in Antigua against the Government of India and Indian agents. According to Choksi, he was kidnapped by Indians in May 2021. In the hearing of the case, India had rejected all the allegations.
Mehul Choksi sitting on a wheelchair. The picture is of a magistrate court in Dominica on June 4, 2021.
Reached Dominica from Antigua, spent 51 days in jail
Choksi had reached neighboring country Dominica from Antigua in May 2021. Here he was arrested. A CBI team reached Dominica to extradite him, but before that he got relief from the British Queen’s Privy Council. Later he was again handed over to Antigua.
However, Mehul Choksi had to spend 51 days in Dominica jail. Here he had argued that he wanted to go to Antigua and get treatment from a neurologist there. A few days after reaching Antigua, the court of Dominica also dismissed the cases registered against Choksi.
Court said- extradition has no bad effect on Choksi
The court said, ‘The crimes committed should not be considered as non-extraditable crimes related to politics, military or tax. India has not sought Choksi’s extradition to punish or prosecute him because of his nationality, caste, religion, nationality or political views. Nor does it seem that any of these reasons will have a negative impact on him.
Belgian officials also pointed out the difference in the conditions of Delhi’s Tihar Jail and Mumbai’s Arthur Road Jail. Earlier in September, India had promised the Belgian government that Mehul Choksi’s human rights would not be violated and he would not be kept in solitary confinement.
In 2021, Choksi was arrested in Dominica. Then this picture of him came out from jail. Choksi had alleged that he was assaulted in jail.
The court had approved the extradition on October 17.
A court in the Belgian city of Antwerp on Friday (October 17) approved the extradition of fugitive Indian diamond trader Mehul Choksi. Officials said the court held that Choksi’s arrest, carried out by the Belgian police at the request of Indian agencies, was lawful.
However, Choksi still has the right to appeal in a higher court. If he does not appeal or the appeal is rejected then the process of deporting him to India will proceed.
Choksi accused of ₹13,850 crore scam
Choksi is accused of a scam of Rs 13,850 crore. Mehul was living with wife Preeti Choksi, who has got Belgian citizenship. The Belgian Foreign Ministry itself had informed about Choksi’s presence.
At the time of his arrest, Mehul Choksi was trying to flee from Belgium to Switzerland. Police had cited two arrest warrants while arresting Choksi. These were issued by a Mumbai court on 23 May 2018 and 15 June 2021.
Police making Mehul Choksi sit on a wheelchair. He was on his way to appear in the Magistrate Court of Dominica. The picture is of June 4, 2021.
Whistleblower said – it is not easy to bring Choksi back
Punjab National Bank scam whistleblower Hariprasad SV had said on the arrest of Mehul Choksi that extradition is not an easy task. His wallet is full. He will hire the best lawyers in Europe, as Vijay Mallya is doing. Therefore it is not easy for India to bring him back.
Hariprasad said that even though Choksi was caught in Antigua, he managed to escape from there because he had a large team of lawyers. It will not be so easy for the Indian government, although I hope that this time the government will be successful.
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Also read this news related to Mehul Choksi…
1. Mehul said – did not leave the country to avoid the case: My passport is suspended, so I am not able to return to India.
Mehul Choksi, the main accused in the PNB scam, had said that he has neither left India nor refused to return to the country to avoid criminal trial. Indian authorities have suspended my passport, so I am unable to return to the country.
2. Approval of extradition of fugitive diamond trader Mehul Choksi to India: Belgian court’s decision; Allegation of ₹13,000 crore scam from Punjab Bank
A court in the Belgian city of Antwerp on Friday approved the extradition of fugitive Indian diamond trader Mehul Choksi. Officials said the court held that Choksi’s arrest, carried out by the Belgian police at the request of Indian agencies, was lawful.
However, Choksi still has the right to appeal in a higher court. If he does not appeal or the appeal is rejected then the process of deporting him to India will proceed.
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