No risk of unfair trial, says Belgian court as it upholds Mehul Choksi's extradition

In a major development in India's pursuit of fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi, a Belgian court has ruled that the main accused in the Rs 13,000 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case faces "no risk" of unfair trial or ill-treatment if extradited to India.

- MPOST BUREAU

The judgment marks a crucial step forward in India's efforts to bring back Choksi, who has been evading prosecution since fleeing the country in 2018.

A four-member indictment chamber of the Court of Appeals in Antwerp upheld a November 29, 2024 order of the pre-trial chamber of the Antwerp District Court, which had declared the arrest warrants issued by a Mumbai special court in May 2018 and June 2021 as "enforceable", thereby allowing Choksi's extradition. The appellate court dismissed Choksi's challenge to that decision, concluding that the 66-year-old businessman had failed to produce credible evidence supporting his claims of persecution or denial of justice in India.

The court held that the materials submitted by Choksi were insufficient to demonstrate any "real, present and serious risk" of being subjected to torture, inhuman treatment, or a flagrant denial of justice. It further stated that it is the responsibility of the subject to "provide evidence demonstrating substantial grounds to believe" that such a risk exists something Choksi had not done.