Antwerp Court Approves Extradition of Fugitive Diamond Merchant Mehul Choksi to India

Antwerp, Oct 2025 : In a major legal victory for Indian authorities, an Antwerp court has approved the extradition of fugitive diamond merchant Mehul Choksi to India, validating his arrest earlier this year and clearing the path for him to face charges in one of India’s largest banking scandals. Choksi, 66, accused of conspiring to defraud Punjab National Bank (PNB) of ₹13,000 crore, now has 15 days to appeal the decision in Belgium’s Supreme Court.

Choksi was arrested by Antwerp police on April 11 at the formal request of India’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and has remained in custody for over four months. His repeated bail applications were rejected, with the court deeming him a high flight risk. During Friday’s hearing, Belgian prosecutors representing New Delhi clashed with Choksi’s defense team over the validity of his detention and citizenship claims.

The judges confirmed that Choksi’s detention complied with legal standards and satisfied the principle of dual criminality. The crimes listed—including criminal conspiracy, cheating, criminal breach of trust, destruction of evidence, and corruption under sections 120B, 201, 409, 420, and 477A of the Indian Penal Code, as well as sections 7 and 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act—are also punishable under Belgian law. India reinforced its case by citing international agreements, including the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) and the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), which Belgium has ratified. CBI officials traveled to Antwerp three times to present evidence and coordinated with a European law firm to strengthen the case.

Documentary evidence submitted details six bank frauds committed between 2018 and 2022, including fraudulent Letters of Undertaking (LoUs) and Foreign Letters of Credit (FLCs) issued without adequate margin, which caused PNB to default on payments of ₹6,344.97 crore plus interest. Choksi’s citizenship remains disputed: he claims to have renounced Indian citizenship on December 14, 2018, after obtaining Antiguan citizenship in November 2017, while India insists he remains an Indian citizen and is therefore subject to extradition.

To address humanitarian concerns, India’s Home Ministry has assured Belgian authorities that Choksi will receive humane detention in Mumbai’s Arthur Road Jail, barrack number 12, which meets the standards of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture. Facilities will include clean water, nutritious food, newspapers, television, a private doctor, daily cleaning, outdoor exercise, and recreational activities such as chess, carrom, and badminton. The cell will be equipped with a cotton mat, pillow, sheet, blanket, and, if medically necessary, a metal bed.

This ruling marks the culmination of eight years of legal and diplomatic efforts since Choksi fled India in January 2018 following the exposure of the PNB scam. His nephew, Nirav Modi, is facing parallel extradition proceedings in the UK. Officials hailed the decision as a “significant milestone” in India’s fight against economic fugitives, underlining the country’s determination to restore public confidence in its financial institutions. If Choksi’s appeal fails, he could return to India to face trial, representing a crucial step in bringing accountability to one of the nation’s most high-profile banking fraud cases.