What’s Next for Mehul Choksi After Belgian Court Clears Extradition to India?

In a major development in India’s efforts to bring back fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi, a court in Antwerp, Belgium, on Friday rejected his appeal against extradition, moving New Delhi a step closer to securing his return.

The Antwerp court upheld the validity of Choksi’s arrest by Belgian authorities based on India’s extradition request, according to sources familiar with the case.

Choksi, arrested in Belgium on April 11 following a request by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), had challenged the extradition at the Court of Appeals in Antwerp in September. He is wanted in India for a ₹13,000 crore fraud involving the Punjab National Bank, orchestrated along with his nephew Nirav Modi, who is currently in a London prison facing his own extradition proceedings. Of the total fraud, Choksi allegedly siphoned ₹6,400 crore, the CBI claimed.

During the extradition hearings, India presented extensive evidence of Choksi’s involvement in fraud, diversion of funds, and repeated attempts to evade legal proceedings. Indian authorities also assured Belgium that, if extradited, Choksi would be held at Barrack No. 12 of Arthur Road Jail, Mumbai, which meets European standards on humane treatment. He would be provided with clean drinking water, adequate food, medical care, access to newspapers and TV, and the choice of a private doctor, and would not face solitary confinement.

Choksi has claimed he renounced Indian citizenship in 2018 after obtaining Antiguan citizenship in 2017. However, India disputes this, maintaining that he remains an Indian citizen wanted for a fraud exceeding $950 million.

Indian investigators have provided documentation of six bank frauds allegedly committed by Choksi between 2018 and 2022, involving nearly ₹13,000 crore. The Belgian court noted a prima facie risk of him fleeing, reinforcing the case for extradition.

What’s Next?

Choksi still has the option to appeal the decision in a higher Belgian court. An official noted, “This means he may not come immediately, but the first and very important stage is cleared.”

This ruling marks a critical step toward holding Choksi accountable for one of India’s largest financial frauds.