India seeks extradition of Mehul Choksi from Belgium

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs has reaffirmed its commitment to extraditing economic fugitives to face legal proceedings in India. During a media briefing regarding the visit of Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, MEA Secretary (West) Sibi George addressed the status of Mehul Choksi, a primary accused in the Rs 13,500 crore Punjab National Bank loan fraud case.

Choksi was arrested by Belgian authorities in April last year and remains in custody. The Belgian Court of Cassation recently dismissed Choksi’s appeal against his extradition, ruling that his objections lacked substance. The court upheld previous rulings, concluding that the extradition proceedings complied with both Belgian domestic law and European human rights standards. The court specifically rejected Choksi’s claims regarding potential violations of fair trial rights, allegations of abduction, and concerns over prison conditions in India.