A Belgian court in Antwerp has approved the extradition of fugitive diamond trader Mehul Choksi to India, ruling that his arrest by Belgian police earlier this year was valid.
The court, however, said Choksi can still appeal the decision before a higher court, meaning he will not be immediately brought back to India. Officials described the ruling as a crucial first step in the extradition process.
Choksi was arrested by Antwerp police on April 11, 2025, following a formal request from Indian authorities. He has been lodged in a Belgian prison since then, with his multiple bail pleas rejected on grounds that he posed a flight risk.
During the hearing, both sides, the Belgian prosecution representing India and Choksi’s legal team, presented their arguments. The court found that the offences Choksi is accused of in India, including criminal conspiracy, cheating, criminal breach of trust, destruction of evidence, and corruption, are also punishable under Belgian law. This satisfies the condition of “dual criminality,” required for extradition under international treaties.
India has charged Choksi under several sections of the Indian Penal Code — 120B (criminal conspiracy), 201 (Causing disappearance of evidence or giving false information), 409 (Criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating), and 477A (falsifying documents — and under Sections 7 (bribery) and 13 (criminal misconduct) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
As part of its case, India cited the UN Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) and the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC), both of which Belgium is a signatory to. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team has visited Belgium three times to submit evidence and has also hired a European law firm to assist with the process.
India has assured Belgian authorities that Choksi will be held in humane conditions if extradited. He will be lodged in Barrack No. 12 of Mumbai’s Arthur Road Jail, which complies with European human rights standards. The cell will provide access to clean water, food, newspapers, television, and medical facilities, and he will not be placed in solitary confinement.
India also maintained that Choksi remains an Indian citizen, disputing his claim of having renounced Indian nationality in December 2018 after acquiring citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda in November 2017.
Choksi is wanted in India in connection with the 13,000 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case, one of the country’s largest banking scams. Central agencies have accused him of fraud, criminal conspiracy, and money laundering between 2011 and 2018, before he fled India in early 2018.
The Belgian court also noted that there is a real risk of Choksi fleeing again, and therefore upheld the validity of his arrest.
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