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.

India has demanded extradition from Belgium to bring Mehul Choksi to the country in the case of Punjab National Bank’s Rs 12,000 crore scam. This includes things like adequate food, 24 hours medical facilities and clean hygiene.

66 -year -old vigil was arrested in April in Antwerp, Belgium. His lawyers say that they have serious health problems, including cancer, so it can be difficult to keep them in custody.

Arrangement will be made to stay in jail

The Ministry of Home Affairs said that the vigil will be kept in Barrack No. 12 of Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai. Prison facilities will include thick cotton mattress, pillow, sheets and blankets. A metal or wood bed can also be given if medical needs.

The weather of Mumbai is hot-water, so heating is not required in the cell. The food will be given three times and the needs of special diet will be met after medical approval.

These facilities will be available in jail

Fruits and snacks are available in the gel canteen. Exercise facilities are available at an open space daily and material for indoor games, badminton, yoga, meditation, library and studies will also be available.

The jail hospital has six medical officers, nursing staff, pharmacists and lab support. There is a fully equipped medical facility with 20 beds. If needed, the vigil will be shown from a specialist doctor in a nearby government hospital.

Detail plan sent to Belgium Court

All these details have been shared to show the Belgium Court that the custody of vigil in India will be according to international human rights standards. Such assurances are common in the extradition process.

Recently, foreign officials also visited Tihar Jail, where they reviewed the security of the prisoners, food and living situation. British officials also recently inspected the Tihar Jail.

Significantly, the situation of jails has been an important issue for a long time. The British courts have several times formed India’s prison conditions to dismiss extradition petitions.

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Mehul choksi extradition: The fugitive diamond businessman Mehul Choksi seems to be getting a big success in India’s attempt to bring back India. ED sources claim that the Antigua and Barbuda governments have informed both Belgium and Indian officials that they will not interfere in the extradition process going on in Belgium.

Sources said, ‘Choksi is a person who does not have citizenship of any country all over the world. At the moment, his identity is that he is only a person of Indian origin. Antigua has made it clear that the case of arrest and extradition comes completely under the jurisdiction of Belgium and will not interfere in any way.

Choksi has given a challenge to cancel citizenship in court

Choksi has challenged the cancellation of his Antigua’s citizenship in the High Court of Antigua and Barbuda, claiming that he is a victim of political oppression and did not follow the appropriate process. ED sources have also claimed that Antigua officials have made it clear to the Indian counterparts that since its citizenship has been officially canceled and judicial proceedings are underway, he will not be given any civil rights in Belgian court proceedings.

How did Choksi get Antigua’s citizenship?

Let us know that Choksi, the main accused in the 13,500 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam, received citizenship of Antigua in 2017 through the country’s investment program. However, the Antigua government canceled his citizenship in 2023, citing the facts hiding the facts and not giving proper information about its criminal background while processing citizenship.

According to ED sources, Choksi’s decision to cancel citizenship came when Antigua and Barbuda officials concluded that he had allegedly failed to disclose his pending criminal investigation in India and he had manipulated in the appropriate process while obtaining a second passport.

Antigua government has its neutral stand

The Antigua government has taken a neutral stance. Antigua has indicated that it will neither support nor oppose the extradition being done by Indian authorities in Belgium. Being out of Antigua and now the case completely under the jurisdiction of Belgium, the way to secure the extradition of Choksi can be politically less sensitive and more dependent on legal cooperation and documentation.

Appeal for extradition to Belgian officials

The ED also claims that before starting the process, all possible aspects related to the arrest and extradition of Mehul Choksi in Belgium were thoroughly investigated. Last year, the Nodal Authority CBI took further action in this case only after Choksi was found out in Belgium around July-August. Belgian officials were sent an extradition request on the basis of arrest warrant issued by a Mumbai court. After this, a team of central agencies went to interact with local authorities and to ensure that there was no legal flaws, such as in 2021, in the previous attempt to bring Choksi back from Dominica.

Mehul Choksi can cite cancer treatment

Sources also further stated that Mehul Choksi’s legal team is now preparing to challenge both his arrest and extradition proceedings going on in Belgium. It is expected that his lawyers will file an appeal for his release on medical grounds citing his poor health and ongoing cancer treatment. According to him, the Dominica court had previously allowed Choksi to return to Antigua and Barbuda for special medical care and his current migration in Belgium was only for advanced treatment – not as a resident or member of the local community.

Now what are the obstacles in Choksi’s extradition?

The provisions of the extradition treaty in defense of Choksi are also expected to implement, according to which the alleged crime should be recognized as a crime in both countries. Additionally, the legal challenge may include human rights concerns, in which the team may argue that gel conditions in India do not meet international standards and this may threaten their health.

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 arrest: Mehul Choksi, who cheated Rs 13,500 crore from Punjab National Bank (PNB), has been arrested. He had run away from India, but is now caught in Belgium. According to the information, Belgium Police arrested him on the appeal of CBI and ED.

Mehul Choksi is a diamond businessman and owns a company named ‘Gitanjali Group’. From 2011, he started cheating PNB in ​​the name of loan, but this scam was revealed in 2018. After this, he left the country and ran away. After absconding from the country, he continued to avoid hold for many years, but now he himself reached a country from where it is considered easy to bring India. It is being told that he has been arrested from a hospital in Belgium and now he may soon get into custody of Indian agencies.

Preparations begin to bring India

According to sources, Mehul Choksi has been arrested by the Belgium Police from a hospital and now he is in his custody. It is being told that he went to Belgium for treatment. As soon as the Indian agencies received the news of his presence, they immediately started action. The CBI and ED had applied for its extradition about three months ago. Choksi is so clever that when he felt that he would be caught in Belgium, he was planning to flee Switzerland. Earlier, on the appeal of Indian agencies, the Belgium administration arrested him.

According to the report of News18, there was a recent conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and King Philip of Belgium. In this, the two leaders discussed issues like strengthening mutual relations, increasing trade and investment. However, sources say that the case of Mehul Choksi was also raised in this conversation and after that the process of arrests increased.

Learn why extradition is easy

After fleeing India, Mehul Choksi first reached the Caribbean country Antigua and Barbuda. According to reports, he had also taken citizenship there. After this he also went to the dominica, but was arrested there on charges of illegally entering. At that time India was difficult because India had no extradition agreement with these countries. Because of this, Choksi continued to avoid coming to India taking advantage of the law.

But this time the matter is different. Now it is easy to bring India back from the country where Choksi is in Belgium. The reason is that there is an extradition treaty between India and Belgium since 1901. This agreement has been going on since the British era and this gives India full legal rights to make a formal demand to bring Choksi back from Belgium.

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.