• Source:JND
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Belgium’s Supreme Court (Court of Cassation) on Tuesday rejected fugitive diamond trader Mehul Choksi’s appeal, clearing the path for his extradition to India. Choksi had approached Belgium’s top court on October 30, challenging the October 17 order of the Antwerp Court of Appeals, which had ruled India’s extradition request as “enforceable.”

A spokesperson for the Court of Cassation, Advocaat-general Henri Vanderlinden, said, “The Court of Cassation rejected the appeal. So, the decision of the Court of Appeal stands.” The Antwerp court had earlier concluded that Choksi faced “no risk” of being denied a fair trial or subjected to ill-treatment if sent back to India.

PNB Scam And Legal Battles

Choksi, the prime accused in the Rs 13,850-crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam, has been fighting extradition proceedings abroad since 2018. He was arrested in Antwerp on April 11, 2025, following India’s formal extradition request. He, along with his nephew Nirav Modi, is alleged to have orchestrated one of India’s largest banking frauds, involving both the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Earlier, Choksi had filed an application under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in a special court in Mumbai, seeking dismissal of the ED’s application to declare him a Fugitive Economic Offender (FEO). However, the court rejected his plea last month, maintaining the ongoing proceedings.

Extradition Process And Legal Framework

Following the Supreme Court’s rejection of his final legal challenge, Belgian authorities confirmed that they are now in a position to execute the extradition order, bringing India closer to securing Choksi’s return.

India’s extradition request cited violations under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including criminal conspiracy (120B), destruction of evidence (201), criminal breach of trust (409), cheating (420), falsification of accounts (477A), and bribery (sections 7 and 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act).

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Choksi’s extradition also invoked the UN Convention against Transnational Organised Crime (UNTOC) and the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC). India assured Belgian authorities that Choksi would be held at Barrack No. 12, Arthur Road Jail, Mumbai, which meets European CPT standards. He will have access to medical care, clean water, adequate food, newspapers, TV, and private doctors, and will not face solitary confinement.

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