Belgian Court Orders Mehul Choksi’s Extradition to India, Terms Arrest Valid

An Antwerp court has ordered the extradition of fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi to India, ruling that his arrest by Belgian authorities—carried out on New Delhi’s request—was lawful, according to people familiar with the development. The decision marks a major step forward in India’s efforts to bring Choksi back to face trial.

Officials said Choksi still has the right to appeal the ruling in a higher court. “This means he may not return immediately, but the first and most crucial stage has been cleared,” an officer familiar with the case noted.

The Antwerp court heard arguments from both sides—Belgian prosecutors representing India and Choksi’s defence—on Friday before upholding the validity of his arrest and India’s extradition request.

Choksi, 65, was detained by Antwerp police on April 11 following a request from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). He has since been lodged in a Belgian prison, with multiple bail pleas rejected by local courts.

India’s extradition plea cites several charges under the Indian Penal Code, including criminal conspiracy (Section 120B), destruction of evidence (Section 201), criminal breach of trust (Section 409), cheating (Section 420), and falsification of accounts (Section 477A), along with bribery charges under Sections 7 and 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act. These offences also qualify under Belgium’s “dual criminality” clause. The request additionally invoked the UN Conventions against Transnational Organized Crime and Corruption.

Throughout the proceedings, India presented evidence of Choksi’s alleged fraud and fund diversion, as well as his repeated attempts to evade the law. The CBI, which has sent teams to Belgium multiple times and engaged a private European law firm, assured Belgian authorities that Choksi would be housed in Barrack No. 12 at Mumbai’s Arthur Road Jail—compliant with European human rights standards—and would receive adequate food, clean water, medical care, and access to media without solitary confinement.

Indian officials also emphasized that Choksi remains an Indian citizen wanted in connection with a fraud exceeding $950 million, disputing his claim of Antiguan nationality.

Choksi has argued that he renounced Indian citizenship in December 2018 after acquiring Antiguan and Barbudan citizenship in November 2017. However, Indian investigators have submitted extensive documentation linking him to six bank fraud cases between 2018 and 2022 involving nearly ₹13,000 crore. The Belgian court reportedly accepted that there is a strong likelihood of Choksi fleeing the country if released.

The CBI tracked Choksi to Belgium in July last year and subsequently submitted a formal extradition request to the Belgian government.