In a significant boost to India’s efforts to bring fugitive economic offender Mehul Choksi back to face trial, Belgium’s highest court, the Court of Cassation, has rejected his plea opposing extradition to India. Choksi is a key accused in the multi-crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) banking fraud case.
Court’s Observations and Ruling
The Belgian court dismissed Choksi’s arguments as weak, stating that he failed to present any legal or factual grounds to block the extradition process. The court ruled that the extradition proceedings are fully compliant with Indian law and European human rights standards. It also imposed a fine of €104 on Choksi.
Choksi’s Arguments Rejected
Choksi had argued that if extradited to India, he could face denial of justice or inhuman treatment. He cited alleged kidnapping attempts from Antigua and media coverage to claim that he would not receive a fair trial in India. However, the court noted that the documents submitted by Choksi were insufficient to substantiate these claims and dismissed his concerns.
Court Trusts India’s Assurances
The Belgian court placed reliance on the assurances provided by the Government of India, which include guarantees related to Choksi’s safety, prison conditions, human rights protections, and medical care. The court expressed confidence in these commitments.
According to the CBI charge sheet, Choksi is accused of siphoning off around ₹6,400 crore individually in the ₹13,000 crore PNB fraud case. Based on an arrest warrant issued by a special court in Mumbai, India formally requested Choksi’s extradition from Belgium on August 27, 2024.
With this ruling, the path has now become significantly clearer for Indian authorities to bring Mehul Choksi back to India to face legal proceedings.
