Breaking News: Belgium Court Clears Way for Mehul Choksi’s Extradition to India

In a major diplomatic and legal breakthrough for India, a Belgium court has approved the extradition of fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi to India. The court dismissed Choksi’s claim of being a citizen of Belgium, affirming that he does not hold Belgian nationality. The verdict marks a significant step forward in India’s efforts to bring back the prime accused in the multi-crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case. According to the court, the allegations against Choksi are “extremely serious,” and his plea against extradition lacked merit. The decision effectively rejects his defense and clears the path for Indian authorities to initiate his formal return. The court emphasized that Choksi’s arguments regarding unlawful extradition and human rights violations were unsubstantiated. Choksi, who fled India in 2018 following the exposure of the PNB scam involving over ₹13,000 crore, had been living abroad while resisting multiple legal attempts to bring him back. The ruling is seen as a major win for Indian investigative agencies, including the CBI and Enforcement Directorate (ED), which have been pursuing his extradition for years. With this judgment, the process of repatriating Mehul Choksi to India is expected to accelerate, paving the way for his long-awaited trial.