New Delhi3 minutes ago
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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.
On April 12, Belgian police had arrested Mehul Choksi, accused in the loan fraud case from Punjab National Bank, on the extradition appeal of Indian investigating agencies. At present he is in jail.
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.
Mehul Choksi sitting on a wheelchair. The picture is of a magistrate court in Dominica on June 4, 2021.
Danger of absconding so don’t bail
Belgian prosecutors also told the court that Choksi is still a risk of absconding, hence he cannot be released from jail. A senior officer said- This order is in our favor. The court clearly said that the arrest made by Belgium on Indian request is legal. This is the first big step towards deportation.
The prosecution in Belgium was fully assisted by officials of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs and the CBI. In the court, he presented evidence of Choksi’s crimes and told that he, along with his nephew Nirav Modi, was involved in a fraud of about ₹13,850 crore from PNB Bank.
Obtained residency card with the help of wife
Choksi had obtained a Belgian ‘F Residency Card’ on November 15, 2023, which was reportedly obtained with the help of his Belgian citizen wife. Reports claimed that Choksi had submitted fake documents to the Belgian authorities. He hid his Indian and Antiguan citizenship and gave false information, so that he could not be deported to India.
Even before leaving India in 2018, Choksi had taken the citizenship of Antigua-Barbuda in 2017 itself. Choksi repeatedly refused to appear in India citing ill health. Sometimes his appearance was done through video conferencing only. Many of his properties in India have also been confiscated.
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.
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 Dominica court also dismissed the cases registered against Choksi.
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 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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Read this news also…
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. Read the full news…
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