Antwerp (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Mehul Choksi, accused of stealing 1.6 billion euros from Punjab National Bank, was arrested in Antwerp. He faces extradition to India after avoiding charges with fake identities and health claims.
Mehul Choksi, who is suspected of having stolen 1.6 billion euros from the Punjab National Bank, has been arrested in Antwerp, Belgium. Authorities stated that India is seeking his return to be tried. Usually, an individual who is arrested in Belgium for a foreign crime is returned. They said this could take a long time, particularly if the individual doesn’t want to return. Choksi has tried to avoid facing the charges before by going to the Caribbean and using fake names.
Will Mehul Choksi be extradited to India for the 1.6B euro scam?
Choksi was found in Antwerp, Belgium, which is known for its diamond industry. Many people from India work in the diamond business in Antwerp. Newspapers in India say it’s no accident that Choksi was found in Antwerp because of the city’s diamond trade and the large Indian community. Another person involved in the fraud is in jail in England and is also fighting against being sent back to India.
Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi were 2 businessmen who tricked a big Indian bank called Punjab National Bank. They used fake papers to get loans from other banks in different countries. They took a lot of money, about 1.6 billion euros, for their diamond and jewelry businesses. The bank didn’t know about this until they checked their records. When the Indian government started looking into it, Modi and Choksi ran away.
Choksi got citizenship in Antigua and Barbuda, a country in the Caribbean. He stayed there for a while, but then someone tried to kidnap him in 2021. This made a big news story all over the world.
When a person attempted to kidnap him, it was discovered that Choksi had been residing in Belgium under an assumed name. He produced a doctor’s certificate stating he was suffering from cancer and could not travel or attend court for the offence against him.
This note helped him avoid facing the charges in India. But India and Antigua and Barbuda both wanted him back to face the charges. Lawyers argued about whether he should be sent back. Choksi kept saying he was too sick to travel. His case is still going on.
