Belgium Court Upholds Extradition of Fugitive Trader Mehul Choksi

Belgium's Court of Cassation has denied the appeal of diamond trader Mehul Choksi against his extradition to India for an alleged Rs 13,000 crore fraud case involving Punjab National Bank. The decision confirms the Court of Appeal's ruling that supports India's extradition request.

The Supreme Court of Belgium, known as the Court of Cassation, has dismissed the appeal of Mehul Choksi, the fugitive diamond trader, against his extradition to India. This is in connection with the alleged Rs 13,000 crore fraud incident at Punjab National Bank, Belgian authorities reported on Tuesday.

According to Henri Vanderlinden, spokesperson for the Court of Cassation, the appeal has been rejected, meaning the ruling made by the Court of Appeal prevails. In a previous decision, the Antwerp Court of Appeal had approved India's extradition request, deeming it 'enforceable.'

Choksi, the main suspect in the PNB scam, was believed to have no risk of an unfair trial or mistreatment in India. He had initially fled to Antigua and Barbuda right before the scam came to light in January 2018. Subsequent to his detection in Belgium, an extradition request was sent by India in August 2024.

(With inputs from agencies.)