The extradition of Mehul Choksi, the Indian-born diamond tycoon and Antiguan citizen, has been temporarily halted after he appealed to Belgium’s Supreme Court against a lower court’s order allowing his return to India.
Ken Witpas, public prosecutor at the Antwerp Court of Appeal, confirmed that the extradition “is suspended” while the Court of Cassation reviews the legal merits of Choksi’s case.
Choksi, founder of the Gitanjali Group, is wanted in India over a $1.55bn fraud at Punjab National Bank (PNB), one of the country’s largest banking scandals. Investigators allege he and his nephew Nirav Modi conspired with bank officials to obtain Letters of Undertaking and Foreign Letters of Credit fraudulently, causing losses of around $730m.
The Antwerp Court of Appeals had ruled on 17 October that Choksi faced “no risk” of unfair trial or mistreatment in India. He filed an appeal on 30 October, pausing extradition proceedings.
Choksi fled India in 2018, gained Antiguan citizenship, and reportedly moved to Belgium in 2023. If extradited, he would be held at Mumbai’s Arthur Road Jail, which Indian authorities say meets European human rights standards.
The Supreme Court’s decision will determine whether Choksi, who has spent nearly seven years evading Indian authorities, will finally face trial on charges including criminal conspiracy, cheating, and corruption.