Brussels — Belgium’s top court has dismissed fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi’s latest bid to stop his extradition to India, clearing a major legal hurdle in the Punjab National Bank fraud case.
The Court of Cassation rejected Choksi’s October 30 appeal, ruling that judges found no legal error in an October 17 decision by the Antwerp Court of Appeal, which had declared India’s arrest warrants enforceable and said Choksi faced no real risk of unfair treatment.
Because the Cassation court can rule only on points of law, it reviewed whether Belgian and international extradition rules were correctly applied. Judges concluded the Antwerp court had followed the law and dismissed the challenge, lifting the temporary suspension of the extradition order.
The appellate court had already upheld India’s request in the Rs 13,000 crore fraud case, finding that charges including conspiracy, cheating, forgery and related financial crimes met Belgium’s dual-criminality requirement. One count involving destruction of evidence under Section 201 of the Indian Penal Code was excluded due to a lack of an equivalent Belgian offence.
Judges in Antwerp also rejected Choksi’s claims that the case was politically driven or that he had been abducted from Antigua, saying the record did not support those allegations. They cited detailed assurances from Indian authorities on detention conditions, noting Choksi would be held in Barrack No. 12 at Mumbai’s Arthur Road Jail with access to medical care and judicial oversight.
Choksi, 66, was arrested in Antwerp on April 11, 2025, months after India submitted its extradition request. Investigators accuse him and his nephew, Nirav Modi, of orchestrating one of India’s biggest banking scandals, alleging Choksi alone siphoned off about Rs 6,400 crore.
With the Cassation ruling, Belgian officials say extradition can proceed once remaining formalities are completed. Choksi still has a 15-day window to lodge a further legal appeal.
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I wonder if the clean up effort was effective enough for him to return home!? 🤔