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 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 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.