Leaked document leads to arrest of Indian fugitive Mehul Choksi in Belgium

Belgium: A leaked document exposing Indian fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi's presence in Belgium has reportedly led to his arrest, years after he was implicated in the billion-dollar Punjab National Bank scam.  

According to Associates Times, which is a Caribbean-based news website, a UK-based lawyer provided this document to them, featuring a verified address of Choksi residing in Belgium.  

This news website reported that they subsequently shared the documents with both Indian and Belgian authorities following which the Indian authorities requested the Belgian government to send back Choksi and officially initiated an extradition process.  

Additionally, Associates Times also made the original document public, which confirmed Choksi’s whereabouts and pushed the international investigation. Following this major disclosure, a thorough investigation was launched into the Indian fugitive’s presence in Belgium, which further forced authorities there to investigate not only his location but also the potential fraudulent means utilised during his application or stay in the country. 

Mehul Choksi arrested in Belgium 

The fugitive diamantaire, Mehul Choksi, accused of a whopping ₹13,850 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud has now been arrested by Belgian authorities. The arrest took place on Saturday at the request of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), confirmed the Indian authorities.  

Choksi, a fugitive since 2018, was reportedly arrested in Europe on April 11 where he was allegedly seeking medical treatment for blood cancer. 

At present, Choksi has been kept in local jail and under supervision of security agencies in Belgium. According to the reports, the Indian government has also started the process of its departure from Belgium, so that the Choksi can be presented before Indian courts as soon as possible. 

Indian agencies, including the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) called for Choksi’s extradition from Belgium after the Interpol Red Notice against him was deleted.  

He reportedly submitted misleading and fabricated documents in order to acquire residency in Belgium and evade extradition to India. It is also said that Choksi is accused of failing to reveal his Indian and Antiguan citizenships and misrepresenting his nationality during his application process.  

Furthermore, a special PMLA court in Mumbai has been hearing the plea from ED to declare Choksi a fugitive economic offender (FEO) in order to allow the government to take action to confiscate his properties. Nirav Modi was declared a FEO in 2019 while the ED’s request against Choksi has been pending since 2018. 

How Mehul Choksi carried out billion-dollar PNM scam? 

Choksi, along with his nephew Nirav Modi, was booked by the CBI and ED back in 2018 after they allegedly colluded with bank officials to fraudulently obtain Letters of Undertaking (LoUs) and enhance Foreign Letters of Credit (FLCs) without proper checks. This caused significant losses to PNB’s Brady House branch in Mumbai.  

Nirav Modi remains imprisoned in London and continues to fight his extradition to India after multiple bail rejections. 

Reportedly, the recent arrest of the Indian businessman, Mehul Choksi, was based on two non-bailable warrants which were issued by a Mumbai court as of May 23, 2018, and June 15, 2021, however, he fled the country in 2018, and Indian agencies were searching for him since then.  

Choksi, a citizen of Antigua and Barbuda, fled in 2018. In 2021, he went missing from Antigua but was later found in Dominica. Recently, he was found in Belgium and was reportedly planning to shift to Switzerland for cancer treatment.