Mehul Choksi Arrested: India Requests Belgium for Fugitive Businessman's Extradition in PNB Bank Loan Fraud Case

New Delhi: Mehul Choksi, a prime accused in the Rs 13,000 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) loan fraud case, was arrested in Belgium on Monday. The arrest follows a formal extradition request submitted by Indian authorities to the Belgian government back in March, aiming to bring Choksi back to India to stand trial for his alleged involvement in the financial scam.

According to sources, the 65-year-old fugitive was apprehended by Belgian law enforcement on April 12, reportedly while attempting to flee to Switzerland.

Also read | Fugitive Businessman Mehul Choksi Arrested in Belgium

Choksi had been residing in Antwerp along with his wife, Preeti Choksi, who holds Belgian citizenship, and had earlier secured a local residency permit.

Who is Mehul Choksi, and What Are the Charges Against Him?

Mehul Choksi, founder of Gitanjali Gems, is one of the central figures—alongside his nephew Nirav Modi—in the Rs 13,500-crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) loan fraud case. The scam came to light in 2018, shortly after both fled India. That same year, a special PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) court issued non-bailable warrants against them. Since then, Indian investigative agencies have launched several cases and confiscated assets worth thousands of crores connected to Choksi. The process of securing his extradition continues.

Meanwhile, Choski moved to Belgium in late 2023 and settled in Antigua and Barbuda, where he had obtained citizenship.

Also read | Properties Worth Rs 22,280 Cr of Vijay Mallya, Mehul Choksi Restored by ED: Nirmala Sitharama

On November 15, 2023, he was reportedly granted residency status in Belgium, though questions have been raised over the legitimacy of the documents used in the process.

According to a report by Associated Times, Choksi acquired an ‘F Residency Card’ by allegedly submitting falsified documents, including fabricated declarations. He is accused of concealing both his Indian and Antiguan nationalities to gain legal residency and evade extradition.

Sources cited in the report also indicated that Choksi was planning to relocate to Switzerland, allegedly for medical care at a reputed cancer treatment facility.

The charges against Choksi and Modi involve allegedly manipulating Letters of Undertaking (LoUs) from PNB to fraudulently obtain massive overseas loans. Nirav Modi is currently jailed in London and resisting extradition efforts