PNB bank scam: Belgium court rejects Choksi's plea; 'extradition to begin soon'

NEW DELHI: Belgium’s Supreme Court has turned down Mehul Choksi’s entreaty against his extradition to India. Court officials said that the bid from the Antwerp Court of Appeal, which had cleared the mode for his extradition, volition present stand.Spokesperson for Court of Cassation, Advocaat-generaal Henri Vanderlinden, told PTI, "The Court of Cassation rejected the appeal. So, the determination of the Court of Appeal stands. The process of his extradition volition statesman now," officials said.Choksi had gone to the Court of Cassation connected 30 October, hoping to overturn the appellate court’s determination issued connected 17 October. After reviewing the matter, it dismissed his challenge.

This besides ends the impermanent intermission connected the extradition order. Earlier, the Antwerp Court of Appeal had agreed to India’s petition to extradite Choksi successful the Punjab National Bank fraud case. It said the charges against him, including transgression conspiracy, cheating, embezzlement and forgery, are crimes nether some Indian and Belgian law. The tribunal besides said determination was nary grounds to enactment Choksi’s claims that the lawsuit was politically motivated oregon that helium had been forcibly taken from Antigua.

Indian officials had submitted details astir his aesculapian attraction and conditions successful custody. The tribunal noted that helium would beryllium kept successful Barrack No. 12 of Mumbai’s Arthur Road Jail, which has backstage sanitary facilities, and that his question would beryllium allowed lone for aesculapian needs oregon tribunal hearings. It said determination was thing to suggest helium would look mistreatment oregon an unfair trial. Choksi was arrested successful Antwerp connected 11 April 2025 aft India formally requested his extradition. He and his nephew Nirav Modi are accused successful the alleged Rs 13,000-crore PNB fraud.