PNB Scam Accused Mehul Choksi’s Belgium Snub Explained: A Win for India’s Extradition Efforts?

New Delhi: Fugitive Mehul Choksi's plea against Antwerp Court of Appeal's decision permitting his extradition to India was rejected by Belgium's supreme court on Tuesday. This is a decisive development that has come as a big win for Indian law enforcement agencies as it clears the way for his extradition to the country. The fugitive diamond trader is wanted in India in Rs 13,000 crore Punjab National Bank scam.According to reports, Belgium's supreme court -- the Court of Cassation -- spokesperson Advocaat-generaal Henri Vanderlinden, said, "The Court of Cassation rejected the appeal. So, the decision of the Court of Appeal stands."The Antwerp Court of Appeal had upheld India's request for Choksi's extradition while terming it "enforceable".

Mehul Choksi's Extradition Can Now Be Ordered

With the appeal dismissed, officials confirmed that the extradition order can now be executed, subject to the completion of the necessary formalities.

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Why Belgium's Supreme Court Dismissed Choksi's Plea

According to reports, Choksi approached the Court of Cassation on October 30 to challenge the appellate court's October 17 ruling.Since the Court of Cassation - which is the Supreme Court - examines only legal issues, the appeal was reviewed and rejected, allowing the Antwerp Court of Appeal's decision to stand in full.This also ends the temporary suspension of the extradition order's execution.

What Antwerp Court of Appeal Said When It Upheld Choksi's Extradition to India

Earlier, the Antwerp Court of Appeal had upheld India's request for Choksi's extradition in the Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case, concluding that the offences, alleged criminal conspiracy, cheating, embezzlement and forgery, are punishable under Indian law and correspond to comparable offences under Belgian law, thus satisfying the requirement of dual criminality.One charge, relating to the disappearance of evidence under Section 201 of the IPC, was excluded because there is no equivalent under Belgian law.A four-member indictment chamber at the Court of Appeals in Antwerp did not find any infirmity in the orders issued by the pre-trial chamber of the district court on November 29, 2024, terming the arrest warrants issued by a Mumbai special court in May 2018 and June 2021 as "enforceable", allowing Choksi's extradition.The Court of Appeals had ruled that Choksi, the main accused in a Rs 13,000 crore PNB scam, faces "no risk" of being denied a fair trial or subjected to ill-treatment if he is extradited to India.

When Did Choksi Escape To Belgium?

Mehul Choksi, who escaped to Antigua and Barbuda in January 2018, days before the scam was detected, was spotted in Belgium, where he had purportedly sought treatment.India sent an extradition request to Belgium on August 27, 2024, based on arrest warrants issued by the special court in Mumbai.With inputs from agencies