Now, Fugitive diamond trader Mehul Choksi arrested in Belgium on India's request for extradition

 Mehul Choksi arrested in Belgium on India's request for extradition 

The arrest, made at the request of Indian agencies including the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED), follows non-bailable warrants issued against him by Mumbai courts.

But Choksi is expected to mount a legal defence, potentially prolonging the extradition timeline.

Fugitive diamond trader Mehul Choksi, wanted in connection with the Punjab National Bank (PNB) loan fraud case, has been arrested by Belgian authorities.

The CBI has filed three more cases against Choksi for allegedly cheating banks, including ICICI Bank of Rs 6,746 crore. 

The ED is conducting a parallel money laundering probe against Choksi. It has attached his properties worth over Rs 2,500 crore and initiated their restitution.

Choksi is wanted for his alleged role in defrauding Punjab National Bank of over Rs 13,000 crore through fraudulent letters of undertaking (LOUs) and foreign letters of credit (FLCs), allegedly issued in connivance with bank officials. 

His firm, Gitanjali Gems, was also named in the ED's multiple charge sheets filed in connection with the case.

The arrest, made at the request of Indian agencies including the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED), follows non-bailable warrants issued against him by Mumbai courts.

Choksi, who had been a fugitive since 2018, was detained on April 12 from a hospital in Belgium, where he had reportedly been undergoing treatment.

 His arrest came days after Indian authorities stepped up extradition efforts. 

He had travelled to Europe, citing poor health, shortly after ED and CBI began pushing harder for his return. 

He was in hospital care when Belgian police took him into custody.  

The action was initiated after the ED and CBI submitted extradition requests in September 2024. At the time, Choksi's lawyers argued that he was suffering from blood cancer and unfit for travel. 

However, Indian officials countered this claim in court, noting that if Choksi was capable of flying from Antigua to Belgium for medical treatment, he could also return to India, where adequate care was available.  

Sources said that his arrest was triggered after Indian agencies reactivated extradition requests when the Interpol Red Notice against him was removed. Despite the deletion, the ED and CBI pursued a fresh request, which ultimately led to his capture in Belgium.

According to officials, efforts are now underway to bring him back to India, although legal hurdles in Belgian courts may delay the process. 

The CBI has filed similar cases, charging Choksi, his nephew Nirav Modi, their companies, bank staff, and others with conspiracy, cheating, and corruption.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had requested the Belgian government to arrest Choksi last year before sending an extradition request.

In connection with the money laundering case, the ED has been pursuing proceedings to declare Choksi a Fugitive Economic Offender under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act through a Mumbai court.

Meanwhile, his nephew Nirav Modi remains in a UK prison as he continues to contest extradition proceedings initiated by Indian authorities.  

The Indian government had earlier flew in a team of investigators to secure his deportation from Dominica, where he was not a citizen. Choksi filed a petition in the Dominica high court alleging abduction and torture.