Mehul Choksi, a diamond dealer on the run and among India’s most wanted in the Punjab National Bank (PNB) loan fraud case, has been officially reported to be in Belgium. The Belgian foreign ministry has confirmed his presence, stating that they “attaches great importance and attention to it.” But Belgium has not made any comment about specific cases.
Despite this, Belgium’s Foreign Ministry stated that “the FPS Foreign Affairs continues to closely follow the developments in this important case.” The confirmation comes as Indian authorities are actively working to secure Choksi’s extradition. Reports from Associate Times indicate that Indian officials have reached out to their Belgian counterparts to initiate the extradition process. This comes after Choksi’s role in the Rs 13,500-crore PNB loan scam for which he is being accused, together with his nephew Nirav Modi.
Mehul Choksi Whereabouts and Background
Mehul Choksi, aged 65 and on wanted list in India for the gigantic fraud, has been living in Antwerp, Belgium, with his wife, Preeti Choksi, a Belgian national. It is unverified but reported that Mehul Choksi and his wife might have been granted an ‘F Residency Card.’ Even after taking Antigua and Barbuda citizenship before escaping from India, he stayed back in Belgium after undergoing medical treatment outside India.
Mehul Choksi and Modi had left India in January 2018, a few weeks prior to the PNB scam going public. Choksi was then already an Antiguan citizen. The fraud was later estimated to be Rs 13,500 crore, which rocked India’s banking sector.
Extradition and Legal Battles
While Choksi is in Belgium, his nephew Nirav Modi is under arrest in London awaiting extradition on the same charge of fraud. Choksi’s lawyers have claimed that the charges against him are politically motivated and that his Indian assets were illegally confiscated by the Enforcement Directorate.
Choksi was detained in Dominica in 2021 after attempting to flee to Cuba but has since managed to evade extradition to India. As Belgian authorities trail behind him, the quest for justice continues, with Indian authorities insisting that he be returned to face the charges.
