Mehul Choksi Resides in Belgium; India Seeks His Extradition for Fraud Case
Mehul Choksi is reportedly living in Antwerp, Belgium with his wife, having obtained a residency card. Indian authorities are pursuing his extradition concerning a ₹13,500-crore bank fraud involving Punjab National Bank. Choksi is accused of using false documents to secure his residency in Belgium. His nephew, Nirav Modi, is contesting extradition from the UK.
Fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi is reportedly residing in Antwerp, Belgium with his wife, Preeti Choksi. Media sources indicate that he procured a residency card in Belgium. Consequently, Indian authorities have approached their Belgian counterparts to initiate his extradition to India, although there has been no immediate confirmation from Indian officials regarding these developments.
Choksi, the owner of Gitanjali Group, is implicated in a ₹13,500-crore bank loan fraud case and is connected to the larger Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam, which involved the alleged misappropriation of over ₹14,000 crore alongside his nephew, Nirav Modi. Both individuals faced charges from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in 2018 for their roles in this financial fraud.
Having fled India in January 2018, Choksi was initially believed to be in Antigua and Barbuda before relocating to Belgium, where his wife holds citizenship. According to the reports, Choksi allegedly used misleading documentation to obtain residency in Belgium, claiming to require medical treatment at a reputed cancer facility, and failing to properly disclose his citizenship in his residency application.
The scandal involving Choksi and Modi saw them diverting ₹13,500 crore from public funds at the PNB through various fraudulent transactions. Nirav Modi is currently in a UK prison, contesting his own extradition to India amid a series of denied bail applications. Notably, in May 2021, Choksi went missing from Antigua but was later located and returned to the country.
In summary, Mehul Choksi’s reported residence in Belgium raises significant legal concerns as India seeks his extradition. Choksi’s involvement in the substantial PNB fraud and the controversial nature of his residency application further complicate the situation. With the ongoing extradition proceedings against his nephew, Nirav Modi, this case remains at the forefront of international law enforcement discussions.
Original Source: www.livemint.com
