Antwerp, Belgium: A Belgian court On Friday, in Antwerp agreed to send fugitive diamond trader Mehul Choksi back to India. This is a big step forward in the high-profile fraud case.
Belgian police arrested Choksi, 66, on April 11 at India’s request. He has been in jail for the past four months. He tried to get bail several times, but each time it was turned down. He still has the ability to appeal, but the verdict makes it easier for him to go back to India.
Choksi’s Charges
India has accused him of:
IPC Sections 120B, 201, 409, 420, and 477A cover fraud, conspiracy, destruction of evidence, and corruption.
Corruption crimes are defined under Sections 7 and 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Belgian law also punishes certain crimes, which meets the condition of dual criminality.
India used international agreements like the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) and the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) to make its case stronger.
Guarantees for Custody in India
India promised Belgian officials that after extradition:
Choksi would be kept in Barrack No. 12 at Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai, which has facilities that meet European standards.
He would have access to a private doctor, clean water, healthy food, newspapers, and TV.
He won’t be put in solitary confinement, and he will have chances to exercise outside, play board games, and rest.
He would get a cot, pillow, bed sheet, and blanket, and his cell would be cleaned every day.
Background
Choksi says he gave up his Indian citizenship in 2018 and got Antiguan citizenship in 2017, but India says he is still an Indian citizen.
There was proof of bank frauds around Rs 13,000 crore that happened between 2018 and 2022. The court also concluded that Choksi was a real flight danger, which justified his arrest by Belgian police.
This decision is a big step forward for India in its hunt for one of its most wanted financial criminals. Extradition procedures are set to move forward in the next few months.