• Source:JND
Add as a preferred

Mehul Choksi news: Fugitive Mehul Choksi, wanted in the Rs 13,000-crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam, has filed an appeal before Belgium’s Court of Cassation, challenging the order permitting his extradition to India. The appeal was lodged on October 30, officials familiar with the matter confirmed on Monday.

Ken Witpas, public prosecutor at the Antwerp Court of Appeal, told news agency PTI that the appeal is limited to “legal merits” and will be reviewed solely on points of law. “During this procedure, the execution of the extradition is suspended,” Witpas said, indicating that Choksi will remain in Belgium until the court delivers its verdict.

Choksi Challenges Antwerp Court Order

Choksi’s legal challenge comes against the October 17 ruling of the Antwerp Court of Appeals, which upheld a previous district court decision declaring India’s extradition request “enforceable.” The appellate court had found no violation of due process and ruled that Choksi faced no risk of unfair trial or ill-treatment if sent back to India.

A four-member indictment chamber at the Antwerp Court had earlier validated arrest warrants issued by a Mumbai special court in May 2018 and June 2021, saying they complied with Belgian and international legal standards. India submitted a formal extradition request to Belgium on August 27, 2024, after Choksi was traced to the European nation reportedly for medical treatment.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has accused Choksi of siphoning off around Rs 6,400 crore from the total Rs 13,000-crore fraud at PNB through fraudulent letters of undertaking. He fled India in January 2018, just days before the scam surfaced, and subsequently obtained citizenship in Antigua and Barbuda.

Appeal Before Belgium’s Supreme Court

The Court of Cassation, Belgium’s highest judicial authority and equivalent to India’s Supreme Court, will now review the case. The court does not reassess evidence but examines whether the law has been correctly applied.

Choksi’s lawyers have argued that he faces political persecution in India, a claim repeatedly denied by Indian authorities. Officials have maintained that his extradition is purely a criminal matter arising from large-scale financial fraud.sa

ALSO READ: Nirav Modi Extradition: Former SC Judge Deepak Verma Offers Expert Opinion, Who Is He

The PNB fraud case, exposed in 2018, is one of India’s biggest banking scandals. Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi are accused of using fake guarantees to secure credit from overseas branches of the bank. While Modi is currently lodged in a UK prison, awaiting extradition to India, Choksi continues to contest his return through multiple legal routes.

ALSO READ: Mehul Choksi Extradition: From Medical Care To Furniture, India Assures Belgium Of Humane Jail Conditions For Fugitive Businessman

The Court of Cassation is expected to take several weeks before issuing a ruling. Until then, the extradition process remains on hold.

With inputs from agencies.

Also In News