Fugitive Mehul Choksi Arrested in Belgium: A Milestone for India's Financial Justice

India's Minister of State for Finance hailed the arrest of fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi in Belgium as a significant achievement. Choksi, wanted for defrauding PNB, faces extradition challenges, claiming health issues as a defense. His apprehension marks progress in India's efforts to reclaim embezzled funds.

The arrest of fugitive Indian businessman Mehul Choksi in Belgium marks a significant milestone in India's ongoing pursuit of justice against financial fraudsters. Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary praised the capture as a 'very big achievement.' Choksi, implicated in a massive fraud involving the Punjab National Bank, was apprehended on Saturday after Belgian authorities confirmed his presence.

Minister Chaudhary highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's unwavering commitment to repatriating individuals who have exploited the country's financial resources. 'Prime Minister Modi had already asserted that those who have looted the money of the poor will have to return it. This action against Mehul Choksi signifies a major victory,' Chaudhary told ANI.

As preparations for Choksi's extradition to India are underway, his legal team is gearing up for a battle, planning to seek bail and oppose extradition by citing Choksi's health issues among other reasons. The 65-year-old, involved alongside his nephew Nirav Modi in a Rs 13,850 crore fraud, originally fled India in 2018, taking shelter in the United States and later in Antigua. Despite previous extradition attempts thwarted by claims of abduction and health needs, Choksi now faces a robust legal showdown in Belgium.

(With inputs from agencies.)