Mehul Choksi’s plea against his arrest in Belgium has been postponed by the court.
Indian authorities continue to push for his speedy extradition in the ₹ 14,000 crore PNB scam.
Fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi has faced yet another legal setback as a court in Belgium has postponed the hearing on his plea challenging his arrest in connection with the Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam case.
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Choksi, who is one of the main accused in the ₹ 13,000-crore loan fraud, was arrested in Antwerp, Belgium, on April 12 by the Belgian Police. His arrest came after India’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) submitted a formal extradition request.
Choksi has now filed a second plea in the Belgian court, claiming that the legal procedure was not properly followed during his arrest. He has also alleged that the Belgian authorities are not giving him basic fundamental rights.
According to sources quoted by media, Choksi said in his plea,
“Such attempts of Belgian authorities against principles of natural justice.”
This is the second time Choksi is trying to get released from detention. Last week, the court had rejected his earlier bail plea, in which he had asked for bail on health grounds and stated that he wanted to be with his family.
The court did not accept his reasons and refused to grant him bail. Choksi had also told the court that he was ready to follow any condition the court imposed, including wearing a GPS-tracking device.
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As he mentioned in his earlier plea,
“he was in poor health and wished to reunite with his family.”
He also expressed willingness to accept any conditions set by the court, including “the use of a GPS-tracking anklet.”
For now, the court has not declared the next date for the hearing on his new plea. The Indian government, on the other hand, is actively working with Belgium to bring Choksi back to India.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed India’s efforts and said,
“Based on our extradition request, he was arrested. We are working closely with the Belgium side on his extradition so that he can face trial in the country.”
Reports suggest that Choksi has been living in Antwerp with his wife, Preeti, who is a citizen of Belgium. He is believed to have secured a residency card which allowed him to stay legally in Belgium.
Mehul Choksi is wanted in India by both the CBI and the ED for allegedly defrauding PNB of over ₹ 14,000 crore, in partnership with his nephew Nirav Modi. Nirav Modi is currently in jail in London and is also fighting against his extradition to India.
This case continues to attract public attention due to its size and involvement of high-profile businessmen, and Indian authorities are eager to bring Choksi back so that he can be held accountable under Indian law.
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