The extradition of fugitive diamond merchant Mehul Choksi to India has been accepted by a Belgian court in Antwerp, which ruled that his detention by Belgian police in April 2025 was legitimate. This is a significant development for Indian authorities. The ruling is a significant first step towards the return of one of the main defendants in the Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case, which is worth Rs 13,000 crore.However, the court postponed Choksi's immediate repatriation to India by giving him the opportunity to appeal to a higher court. Since his arrest on April 11, 2025, Choksi has been detained in a Belgian prison after several bail requests were denied due to worries about flight risk.

Charges and Dual Criminality Are Upheld by the Court
Choksi's attorneys and the Belgian prosecution, which was representing India, made thorough arguments throughout the proceedings. In order to meet the twofold criminality criteria for extradition, the court determined that Choksi's offences in India—criminal conspiracy, deceit, breach of trust, evidence destruction, and corruption—are also punishable under Belgian law.
In addition to Sections 7 (bribery) and 13 (criminal misconduct) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, Choksi has been charged by India under a number of sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 120B (criminal conspiracy), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence or giving false information), 409 (criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating), and 477A (falsifying documents).
India promised Belgium that Choksi would be kept in a compassionate environment in the Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai, where he would have access to food, water, newspapers, and medical treatment. The CBI underlined India's dedication to fair trial norms by referencing international agreements like UNCAC and UNTOC.

Choksi, who left India in 2018 and subsequently claimed citizenship in Antigua, is still regarded as an Indian citizen. India is one step closer to delivering long-awaited justice in the colossal PNB scandal and extraditing the fugitive millionaire thanks to the Antwerp court's decision.

Choksi is wanted in India in relation to one of the biggest banking scams in the nation, the 13,000 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case.