Recently, Russia tested a missile that can fly in the air for unlimited time. Russia has received a threat amid this new weapon system. Belgian Defense Minister Theo Franken has said that if Russia tried to attack Brussels, NATO would completely destroy Moscow in response. Speaking to the Belgian magazine Humo, he said that he has no fear about an attack by Russian President Vladimir Putin, because such a move would be an attack on the heart of NATO and then ‘we will erase Moscow from the world map.

Putin will not attack nuclear – Franken claims
Franken said that Putin knows that Russia cannot use nuclear weapons, because doing so would result in retaliation from NATO. He said, if Russia launches a nuclear attack, it will mean the end of Russia from the world.

Concern expressed over Russia’s ‘grey zone strategy’
The Belgian minister also said that he is more threatened by Russia’s ‘secret methods’. According to him, Russia can destabilize NATO countries in Little Green Men-like ways, such as provoking Russian-speaking minorities in Estonia and trying to take over there. This was a reference to the strategy Russia used during the occupation of Crimea in 2014.

Russian Embassy said – provocative and irresponsible statement
The Russian Embassy in Belgium issued a statement on Tuesday calling Franken’s comments “provocative and far from reality.” However, Franken defended his statement on social media, saying that his words were taken out of context.

Concern increases due to increasing drone incidents in Europe
In recent weeks, there have been incidents of several drones and aircraft belonging to Russia entering NATO and EU airspace. Last month, about 20 Russian drones entered Poland, some of which were shot down by NATO fighter jets. Belgium on Wednesday launched an investigation into the drone intrusion, the second such incident this month.

EU countries built ‘drone wall’
The EU member countries of Eastern Europe have recently decided to build a ‘drone wall’ to strengthen air security. Analysts believe that Russia is testing NATO’s unity and response capability through these incidents. However, the Kremlin has refused to consider these incidents as deliberate provocations.

The Antwerp Court of Belgium has given a big decision regarding diamond businessman and PNB scam accused Mehul Choksi. The court has justified the arrest of Choksi and approved the demand of extradition of the Government of India. This means that now the way has been cleared to bring Choksi to India.

The Antwerp Court clearly said that Mehul Choksi is not a citizen of Belgium, hence the conditions related to civil security there do not apply to him. The court acknowledged that Choksi is a foreign national and the documents sent against him by the Government of India mention serious crimes.

The charges imposed by India include-

• Joining a criminal organization
• Fraud
• Embezzlement and Bribery by Public Office Holders
• Making and using fake documents

All these crimes can be punished in India, hence the Belgian court has considered them extraditable. Mehul Choksi has been continuously claiming that he was kidnapped from Antigua and taken to Belize or Dominica so that India could catch him, but the court termed this claim as false and without evidence.

What did the court say?

The court said that the documents which Choksi presented as evidence. Nowhere in them is it proved that his kidnapping took place at the behest of Indian agencies. The court said that the decision of the CCF Committee of Interpol in 2022 was also written very carefully and with conditions…therefore no concrete conclusion can be drawn from it. The court expressed confidence in India’s prison system.

The court also mentioned the documents received from the Government of India in which it was said that Mehul Choksi would be kept in Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai. He will live in barrack number 12, where there are two cells and a private bathroom. He will be taken out only for medical or court appearance. Complete arrangements will be made for his stay and security in jail. The court said that the allegations made by Choksi that there is torture or bad conditions in Indian jails are based only on reports and press articles, which have no direct relation with his personal situation.

Choksi’s team accused India

Choksi’s team also said that he will not get a fair trial in India because the justice system there is not independent. On this, the court said, “No concrete evidence has been provided to prove that Indian courts are not independent or that Vigilance is being targeted for political reasons.” The court also said that media reporting or name appearing in the news does not prove that the person’s right to be considered innocent has been violated.

Mehul Choksi expressed concern about his health

Mehul Choksi also expressed concern about his health and said that he would not get proper treatment in Indian jails, but the court said that he did not provide any medical record or report which could prove that he had a serious or incurable disease.

Let us tell you that Mehul Choksi is the owner of Gitanjali Gems Limited of Gujarat and maternal uncle of Nirav Modi. Together, both of them are accused of scam of about Rs 13,500 crore from Punjab National Bank. After the matter came to light in 2018, Choksi fled India and later took the citizenship of Antigua. The Indian government is continuously trying to extradite him. Now that the Antwerp Court has approved India’s extradition request, the next step will be formal approval from the Belgian government. After that Indian agencies can start the process of bringing him to India.

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Belgian court has approved the extradition of fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi. Both Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi are wanted in India in the Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam case. According to sources, the court has issued a preliminary order upholding India’s extradition request. A court in Antwerp (Belgium) gave this order and declared his arrest valid on the basis of India’s request. This decision is being considered an important step towards bringing back Choksi for India.

Opportunity to appeal in High Court
However, according to officials, Choksi still has the option to appeal in the higher court. An official said, “This means that he will not be brought to India immediately, but the first and very important step of the process has been passed.”

Court’s decision after hearing arguments from both sides
The Antwerp Court on Friday heard the arguments of the Belgian prosecutors from the Indian side and Choksi’s legal team. The court accepted that India’s extradition request and Choksi’s arrest were valid.

All attempts for bail failed
Mehul Choksi, 65, was arrested by the Antwerp Police on April 11 on the extradition request of the CBI. He is in jail in Belgium for the last four months. Choksi filed petitions for bail in many courts, but every time his petition was rejected.

Fraud committed with the connivance of PNB officials
India presented strong evidence and legal arguments against Mehul Choksi in the Antwerp court, naming him the main accused in the ₹13,850 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam. CBI told the court that Choksi, in connivance with PNB officials, obtained loans from foreign banks without any security by issuing fake Letters of Undertaking (LoU). Later this money was transferred to shell companies and money laundering was done.

Charges are registered under serious sections
India has accused Choksi of several charges of fraud, criminal conspiracy, destruction of evidence and corruption. A case has been registered against him under sections 120B, 201, 409, 420, 477A of IPC and sections 7 and 13 of Prevention of Corruption Act.

Mehul choksi bail plea reject: Mehul Choksi, the main accused in the Punjab National Bank Loan Fraud case, has suffered a major setback from the Belgian court. The court has rejected his bail plea. He was arrested on April 12, 2025 in Belgium after an official request of Indian officials.

Mehul Choksi told the court that he is unwell and wants to live with his family. He said that he is willing to accept any condition, will also wear GPS containing equipment if needed. Last week, India said that it is working closely with Belgium for Choksi’s extradition. Foreign Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said, “He was arrested on the basis of our extradition request. We are working closely with Belgium for his extradition so that he can face a case in the country.”

CBI and ED have walked since 2018

65 -year -old Choksi has been wanted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) in India since 2018 in the PNB loan fraud case. Interpol Red notice was also issued against him in 2018, but it was withdrawn in November 2022. In fact, Choksi had alleged that Indian agents abducted him from Antigua and Barbuda in May 2021.

Excuse of medical condition

Choksi has been living in Belgium for treatment since leaving Antigua and Barbuda last year. His lawyer has said that if the diamond merchant is extradited, then his human rights will have a very bad effect. After the arrest of Mehul Choksi, advocate Vijay Aggarwal had said that his condition is very bad.

Mehul’s lawyer said, “He is very ill. He is undergoing treatment for cancer and last time he was detained by Indian agencies from Antigua, he was feeling very suffocated due to torture and was also suffering from PTSD.”

Also read: Fugitive Mehul Choksi will not have any obstacle in extradition process, not citizenship of any other country other than India

Mehul choksi honeytrap: In the case of bank scam of Rs 13,500 crore, the absconding diamond businessman Mehul Choksi (Mehul Choksi) from India has been arrested in Belgium (Mehul Choksi Arrested). After the arrest, the Government of India has demanded his extradition. Belgian Federal Public Service of Justice on Monday confirmed the arrest of Mehul Choksi. Mehul Choksi is the main accused in the Punjab National Bank Scam (PNB SCAM). A few days ago information about her being in Belgium was revealed and now the news of her arrest has come.

According to a report by NDTV, Mehul Choksi, the owner of Gitanjali Group, was arrested on 12 April in Belgium. At that time, he was preparing to go to Switzerland on the pretext of treatment. It is reported that the arrest took place at the request of Indian agencies, who had been looking for him for a long time. Mehul Choksi escaped from India in 2018. Later he appeared in Antigua and Barbuda, where he took citizenship through investment. He remained out of radar for many years, but was arrested in May 2021 for illegally entering the Republic of Dominican. However, he was released after being in jail for a few days.

Story of Honey Trap of Mehul Choksi

Mehul Choksi described himself as a victim of ‘honey-trap’ and kidnapping conspiracy. During this time, the name of Barbara Jabarika, a woman, came to light. At that time, Choksi had said that Barbara Jabarika, a resident of Hungary, implicated him in a honey-trap. According to Choksi, he was forcibly abducted, tortured and seated in a boat and taken from Antigua to Dominica. He claimed that Barbara was also part of this entire conspiracy.

Who is Barbara Jabarika?

According to the LinkedIn Profile of Barbara Jabarika, he is a property investment agent from Bulgaria. He has described himself as a sales negotiator and has an experience working in the field of real estate and direct sales.

Choksi’s wife’s shocking claim

When Mehul Choksi was arrested in Dominica, it was revealed that he fell in love with Barbara Jabarika. Priti Choksi, wife of Mehul Choksi, alleged that she met in 2020 and claimed that Barbara was part of Honeytrap’s conspiracy.

Barbara rejected the claims of Mehul Choksi

Mehul Choksi had claimed that Barbara Jabarika made false friendship with her and called her for dinner just before her alleged kidnapping. According to Choksi, he was forcibly taken with him as soon as he reached there. However, Barbara rejected these claims. He also misunderstood Preity Choksi’s allegations and said that she is not Choksi’s girlfriend, as claimed in some reports.

Mehul Choksi had reached Barbara as Raj

Barbara claimed that he has his own job and does not need things like money, jewelry, any kind of help, hotel booking. He further claimed that Mehul Choksi called his identity wrong and introduced himself as ‘Raj’ to befriend him.

In a NDTV report, Barbara said, “Raj (Mehul Choksi) had first approached me. He asked for my number and befriended me. What his wife is saying is not true.”

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Mehul choksi: Mehul Choksi, the main accused in the Rs 13,800 crore PNB fraud case, has been arrested in Belgium and now the preparation to bring him to India has intensified. After escaping from India in 2018, he was now arrested on the request of Indian agencies while escaping several times. Choksi, 65, was allegedly detained from a Belgian hospital, where he was admitted for treatment since last year.

Red notice removed against Mehul

Investigation agencies, including the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), have stepped up the preparations to bring back the Interpol Red notice against him. The red notice is issued to the person who is wanted by a member country for a serious crime and other member countries are urged to help him to detect or arrest.

Mehul’s lawyer confirmed arrest

The government of Belgium had already confirmed Choksi to stay there. Especially, after the news of Choksi’s sudden disappearance from Antigua in May 2021, the government there took further seriously.

Talking about his arrest, Mehul’s lawyer Vijay Aggarwal said, “Currently, he is in jail and there is a process to file an appeal, not to file an application for bail (Belgium). During that appeal, it is requested not to keep him in custody and allow him to defend himself and oppose extradition request. “

In this way, fake was done

Choksi, the owner of the Gitanjali Group, is the main accused in the case of cheating India’s second largest public sector bank PNB in ​​India through fake letters of undertaking (LOU) and foreign credit letters (FLC) allegedly in connivance with bank officials. Nirav Modi, the nephew of Choksi, another accused in the case, is currently lodged in a London jail.

As part of the extradition request, Indian authorities shared at least two non-bailable warrants with their Belgian counterparts, issued by a special court in Mumbai in 2018 and 2021. However, this is not the first time Mehul has been detained, but earlier also Mehul was detained for illegal entry into Dominica. During that time a CBI team also tried to bring him to India, but later the court allowed him to return to Antigua for medical treatment.

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Mehul choksi extradition: The Government of India has filed a formal extradition petition in Belgium to bring Mehul Choksi, accused in the PNB Bank fraud case of Rs 13,000 crore, to return to India. Belgium’s federal public service confirmed that Choksi was arrested on Saturday, April 12, 2025 and is now kept in custody under a legal process.

The Belgian government also said that Choksi has been given access to the legal advisor. Indian authorities have also handed over the documents required for his extradition to Belgium, including arrest warrants issued by the Mumbai court.

Antigua to Belgium
Choksi was running away from India to Antigua in 2018. Recently he came to Belgium for treatment, where he was arrested. He is the second major accused after his nephew Nirav Modi in the PNB scam.

India’s major diplomatic success
Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal termed Choksi’s arrest as India’s diplomatic success. He said that this is an important achievement under the foreign policy under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi.

Preparation to rescue human rights
Mehul Choksi’s lawyer Vijay Aggarwal said that he is in custody in Belgium and an appeal will be filed against extradition. He claimed that the prison situation in India is bad and this case is motivated by politics, so they will be defended (violation of human rights and political pressure) on two grounds.

Vijay Aggarwal said, “This case has been going on for a long time. We have always said in court that Mehul is ready to join the investigation, but he cannot travel due to medical condition. He will join the investigation through video conference.” He said, “Mehul Chowki is ill and getting cancer treatment. In what we make, it will be requested that Mehul should not be kept in custody. The clear basis of the appeal will be that Mehul Choksi is not at risk of escape.”

CBI and ED actions
Let me tell you that CBI and ED had registered a case against Choksi and his company Geetanjali James in 2018. So far, CBI has filed two and ED three chargesheets. In this scam, banks were damaged by issuing fake LOUs and FLCs.

Mehul choksi arrested: The fugitive diamond businessman Mehul Choksi, accused in the loan fraud case from Punjab National Bank, has been arrested by the police in Belgium. 65 -year -old Choksi was arrested on Friday (April 11, 2025) on the appeal of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and is still in jail.

Mehul Choksi had framed a loan of Rs 13,500 crore from Punjab National Bank and ran away from India to Belgium to avoid arrest. Here he was living in Antwerp with his wife Preeti Choksi. Preeti Choksi has citizenship of Belgium. Many reports have revealed that Choksi has an ‘F Residency Card’ in Belgium and has come from Antigua to Belgium for treatment.

Belgian police referred to Mumbai court warrant

While arresting Mehul Choksi, the Belgian police cited two arrest warrants issued by a court in Mumbai against him. The report said that these warrants were released on May 23, 2018 and 15 June 2021. However, it is being said that Mehul Choksi can demand bail and immediate release, citing poor health and other reasons.

Choksi is accused of fraud worth 13,500 crores from PNB

CBI and ED are being tried by CBI and ED on charges of fraud of Rs 13,500 crore from PNB. In this case, Choksi’s nephew Nirav Modi is also an accused, who is hidden in London and is also waiting for his extradition.

When did Mehul Choksi run away from India?

Mehul Choksi ran away from India in January 2018 with her nephew Nirav Modi. Both of them left the country even before the loan fraud case came to light in Punjab National Bank. This was the second largest bank scam in India. Even before the matter came to light, Choksi took citizenship of Antigua. When he was going to Cuba in 2021, he was caught in Dominica. After this, Mehul had said that due to political conspiracy, these cases are being run on him. He also said that the ED has seized the properties in India illegally.

Mehul choksi: Fugitive diamond merchant Mehul Choksi is currently in Belgium in the Punjab National Bank Loan Fraud case. This country of Europe has confirmed this. The Belgian Foreign Ministry has said that they are aware of Mehul Choksi’s presence in their country and keep an eye on this whole matter.

However, it has also been said by Belgium that they do not comment on any personal matters. In a conversation with NDTV, this answer has been received from Belgium. Another news website ‘Associate Times’ has also reported in one of its reports that Indian authorities have approached their Belgian equivalent officials to start the process of extradition of Mehul Choksi.

65 -year -old Choksi, along with his nephew Nirav Modi, is accused in a loan fraud case of Rs 13,500 crore at Punjab National Bank. Both have been out of the country for a long time. Choksi is living in Antwerp with his wife Preeti. Preeti Choksi has citizenship of Belgium. Many reports have revealed that Choksi has a ‘F Residency Card’ in Belgium. He has come to Belgium from Antigua and Barbuda for treatment.

Antigua Foreign Minister gave updates
Mehul still has citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda. The Foreign Minister of this Caribbean country recently came to India to participate in Raisina Dialogue. Then he had said that Mehul is not in Antigua in Vartamam. He has gone out of the country to get his treatment.

Mehul ran away from India in 2018
Mehul Choksi ran away from India in January 2018 with her nephew Nirav Modi. Both of them left the country even before the loan fraud case came to light in Punjab National Bank. This was the second largest bank scam in India. Two months before this fraud case came to light, Mehul took citizenship of Antigua. When he was going to Cuba in 2021, he was caught in Dominica. After this, Mehul had said that due to political conspiracy, these cases are being run on him. He also said that the ED has seized its properties in India illegally.