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Mehul Choksi (65 years) escaped leaving the country in 2018.
Heera businessman Mehul Choksi, accused in the loan fraud case from Punjab National Bank, has been arrested by the police in Belgium. Official sources said that he was arrested on 12 April on the appeal of extradition of Indian investigative agencies, currently in jail.
Following his arrest, Belgium reacted first, stating that he has been kept in jail for further judicial process. India has started the process of extradition of Choksi with Belgium. According to the information, the CBI had requested Belgium to arrest Choksi last year.
It is believed that Choksi may demand bail and immediate release, citing her ill health. After his arrest in Belgium, Mehul Choksi has sought bail in the court citing his ill health. It has been said on his behalf that Belgium came to get treatment and was living in Entwara with his wife.
Mehul Choksi sitting on a wheelchair. The photo is from a magistrate court of Dominica on 4 June 2021.
Choksi was preparing to escape Switzerland
Choksi is accused of scaming Rs 13,850 crore. Last month, it was revealed that Mehul Choksi is in Belgium. According to reports, Mehul is living with wife Preeti Choksi, who has received Belgian citizenship.
The Belgian Foreign Ministry had informed about the presence of Choksi. According to sources, Mehul Choksi was trying to flee Switzerland from Belgium.
The police cited two arrest warrants while arresting Choksi. These were issued by a Mumbai court. The report said that the warrant was on 23 May 2018 and 15 June 2021.
Lawyer said- Choksi will appeal to stop extradition for treatment
Choksi’s lawyer Vijay Aggarwal said that his client would file an appeal for bail. During this time he will also appeal not to keep him in custody and allow him to protect himself and oppose the extradition appeal by staying out of captivity.
The lawyer said that the appeal would say that there is no risk of Choksi escape. He is very sick and is undergoing treatment for cancer. It will also be said that Choksi is a political matter and the condition of Indian jails is very bad.
Received resident card with the help of wife
Choksi obtained the ‘F Residency Card’ of Belgium on 15 November 2023, allegedly obtained with the help of his Belgian civilian wife. The reports claimed that Choksi had handed over fake documents to Belgium officials. He hid his Indian and Antigua’s citizenship and gave false information so that he could not be sent to India.
Even before leaving India in 2018, Choksi took citizenship of Antigua-Barbuda in 2017 itself. Choksi continued to refuse to appear in India by repeatedly citing poor health. Sometimes he was produced through video conferencing. Many of his properties have also been seized in India.
Choksi’s nephew Nirav Modi is also accused in this scam and is facing extradition proceedings in London.
In 2021, Choksi was arrested in Dominica. Then this picture of him was revealed from jail. Choksi accused him of assault in jail.
Dominica from Antigua reached 51 days in jail
Choksi reached the neighboring country Dominica from Antigua in May 2021. He was arrested here. A CBI team reached Dominica to get him extradited, but before that he got relief from the British Queen’s Privy Council. He was later handed over to Antigua.
However, Mehul Choksi had to spend 51 days in Dominica jail. Here he had argued that he wants to go to Antigua and treat a neurologist there. A few days after reaching Antigua, the Dominica court also dismissed the case filed against Choksi.
Police sitting on a wheelchair on Mehul Choksi. He was going to appear in Dominica’s Magistrate Court. The photo is from June 4, 2021.
Whistbalore said- not easy to bring back Choksi
On the arrest of Mehul Choksi, Hariprasad SV, the whistleblower of the Punjab National Bank scam, said that extradition is not a work. His wallet is full. He will hire Europe’s best lawyers. As Vijay Mallya is doing. Therefore, it is not easy for India to bring it back.
Hariprasad said that even though Choksi was caught in Antigua, he managed to escape from there as he had a large party of lawyers. This will not be so easy for the Government of India, although I hope that this time the government will be successful.
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Read the news related to Mehul Choksi here …
Belgium said- Fugitive diamond businessman Choksi here: Know to us about the extradition process; Mehul accused of PNB scam worth ₹ 13,850 crore
Mehul Choksi, a fugitive diamond businessman and the main accused in the Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam, is in the European country Belgium. Belgian Foreign Ministry informed about Choksi’s presence in the country in the official statement. Also said- We understand the importance of the matter. Read full news here …
