A court in Antwerp on Friday cleared the extradition of fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi, noting that his arrest by the Belgian authorities on India's request was valid, officials in the know of the development said.
The Antwerp Court of Appeal has advised the Belgian government to approve the extradition of fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi to India on six of seven charges, including criminal conspiracy and fraud.
Belgium's supreme court -- the Court of Cassation -- on Tuesday rejected the appeal of fugitive diamond trader Mehul Choksi challenging the extradition request of India in connection with the Rs 13000-crore alleged bank fraud in Punjab National Bank, authorities in that country said.
Fugitive diamond trader Mehul Choksi has challenged the extradition order in Belgium's Supreme Court.
The bail plea of fugitive diamonds trader Mehul Choksi, wanted in India in connection with over Rs 6300-crore fraud in the Punjab National Bank (PNB), has again been turned down by a court of appeal in Belgium, just ahead of his extradition hearing before a court in that country, officials said. The court rejected the appeal on strong reasons conveyed by the CBI to the Belgian prosecution that Choksi had escaped from many jurisdictions earlier as well to evade legal proceedings and may flee to another country if let out on bail, they said.
A Belgian court has declined the bail plea of Mehul Choksi, a key accused in the Rs 13,500 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) loan fraud case.
The CBI has significantly increased the rate of fugitive repatriation, bringing back 134 individuals in the last five years, doubling the number from the previous decade. This success is attributed to enhanced diplomatic efforts, technological advancements, and improved coordination with Interpol.
The State Bank of India has registered a significant victory as a court of appeal in the Belgian port city of Antwerp has dismissed a money laundering case against it.
