Belgium Confirms Mehul Choksi Detained for Further Judicial Proceedings

Fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi is held in a state of "anticipation of further judicial proceedings," according to the Belgian federal public service of justice, who announced Monday that he was arrested in Belgium on April 12 in connection with an extradition request from India.

The arrest and the extradition request for Choksi sent by the Indian authorities were confirmed by the Belgian federal public service of justice, the entity that is equivalent of a justice ministry.

“He [Choksi] is being detained in anticipation of further judicial proceedings. Access to his legal counsel has been assured,” the federal public service of justice told HT.

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The “Belgian federal public service of Justice can confirm that the Indian authorities have introduced an extradition request for Mr Choksi. As is standard in individual cases, no further details can be released at this stage,” it said.

Choksi was in fact arrested at Antwerp in Belgium, according to a spokesperson from the Belgian office of public prosecution. “We can confirm that Mr Choksi was arrested in Antwerp last Saturday at our request,” the spokesperson said without giving details.

Leaving Antigua and Barbuda last year, Choksi has been in Belgium ever since. As such, he was arrested on request from India, according to sources familiar with the matter. First, the CBI sought the arrest of Choksi through Belgian authorities last year and later sent in an extradition request.

Choksi's lawyer, Vijay Aggarwal, told a Mumbai court in February that his client was in Belgium for medical treatment. The court is giving a hearing to the plea put forth by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for declaring Choksi fugitive under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act (FEOA).

While he knows Choksi informally, it was believed that his bail would stretch through this time because the CBI is going to have constant communication with Belgian authorities.

It was last March that Antigua and Barbuda foreign minister Chet Greene mentioned that Choksi is still a citizen of the Caribbean country and has gone outside the country for medical attention. He further revealed that the issue of Choksi's citizenship is under review for legal purposes.

“[The Indian] government and my government are working together on this matter. We have some traditions in democracy. We both respect the rule of law. The matter of Mehul Choksi has been subjected to a legal review,” Greene told theANI news agency. “Until such time it is reviewed and determined, there is nothing I can say.”

Choksi is wanted in India in connection with fraud by the Punjab National Bank (PNB). Interpol red notice was issued against him in 2018, which was withdrawn in November 2022 after Choksi knocked Interpol's door, alleging Indian agents had abducted him from Antigua and Barbuda in May 2021 on a yacht to Dominica.

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To deport him from Dominica, where he was not a citizen, the Indian government flew in a team of investigators. He also filed a case in the Dominican high court against his illegal abduction and torture.

In June 2021, Indian prosecutors filed a plea in Dominica, alleging that Choksi had masterminded the ₹13,578 crore loan fraud and owed ₹7,080 crore ($952 million) to the state-owned PNB. They wanted him declared an Indian citizen and deported.

Choksi's apprehension ignited a political maelstrom in the Caribbean as opposition parties accused the governments of Dominica and Antigua and Barbuda for 'facilitating' the abduction of the businessman by India.

Antigua Royal Police were informed about the supposed abduction by the attorneys acting on behalf of Choksi and began their own probes. They came up with findings almost similar to those of Choksi.

Dominica started illegal entry proceedings against Choksi, but later, on July 15, 2021, withdrawn this case and sent him back to Antigua and Barbuda.

Choksi has had three new cases filed against him by the CBI for allegedly cheating the said banks, including ICICI Bank, out of ₹6,746 crore. At the same time, the ED is conducting a money-laundering investigation against Choksi. It had attached his properties worth over ₹2,500 crore and started their recovery.

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