Mehul Choksi's bail plea rejected by Belgian court, India pushes for extradition

A court in Belgium has rejected the bail plea of Mehul Choksi, a key accused in the Rs 13,500 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) loan fraud case. The ruling came after a three-judge bench heard arguments from both sides. Choksi was arrested in Belgium last week following an official extradition request by Indian authorities. India's external affairs ministry confirmed the arrest and said efforts were underway to bring him back. “As you are aware, based on our extradition request, he was arrested in Belgium. We are closely working with the Belgian side for his extradition to India so that he can face trial in the country,” said Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal at a weekly media briefing.

Ahead of the bail hearing, Choksi’s Indian lawyer Vijay Aggarwal had traveled to Antwerp and met him in jail. Following the court’s decision, Aggarwal said the legal team would appeal the ruling, citing Choksi’s poor health and ongoing cancer treatment as the main grounds for release. “My client, Mehul Choksi, is currently in custody. We will initiate the process of filing an appeal and request his release from prison, citing his medical condition and the fact that he is not a flight risk,” Aggarwal told news agency ANI.

In a press conference in Delhi, Aggarwal outlined the legal defence strategy against extradition, pointing to the political nature of the case and concerns about Choksi’s access to medical care in India. He argued that sending Choksi back could violate his human rights due to inadequate healthcare facilities and the potential risk of political harassment. Aggarwal also said that Choksi had been cooperative with Indian investigative agencies and had offered to participate in proceedings via video conferencing because of his health condition.

The defence has further highlighted procedural requirements for extradition, including non-bailable warrants issued since 2018. Aggarwal noted that previous efforts to extradite Choksi from Dominica had failed, and that Choksi had been receiving cancer treatment in Antigua before travelling to Belgium for further care.

(With agency inputs)