Subhechcha Ganguly 
Fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi, wanted in India for his alleged involvement in the ₹13,500-crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case, has been arrested in Belgium following an extradition request by Indian authorities. The arrest marks a significant breakthrough in the years-long pursuit of Choksi, who had previously been residing in Antigua and Barbuda.
According to sources cited by PTI, the action against Choksi was taken on Saturday. This development comes weeks after reports confirmed that the founder of Gitanjali Gems had obtained a Belgian residency card and was living in Antwerp with his wife, Preeti Choksi. Indian investigative agencies — the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) — initiated fresh extradition proceedings after the Interpol Red Notice against him was deleted.
The Associated Times, a Caribbean-focused media outlet, had reported in March that Indian authorities had formally requested Belgium to extradite Choksi.
Choksi, along with his nephew Nirav Modi, is accused of orchestrating one of India’s biggest banking scams by fraudulently obtaining letters of undertaking from PNB, leading to a loss of ₹13,500 crore. While Nirav Modi remains imprisoned in the UK and is contesting his extradition, Choksi had earlier fled to Antigua and Barbuda, where he acquired citizenship before eventually relocating to Belgium in 2023.
It is also alleged that Choksi misrepresented his nationality and concealed his Indian and Antiguan citizenships during the Belgian residency application process. Reports further suggest that he was planning to shift to Switzerland for medical treatment, reportedly for a suspected cancer diagnosis — a claim made by his lawyer in a Mumbai court earlier this year.
Back in India, a special court under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in Mumbai is hearing the ED’s plea to declare Choksi a Fugitive Economic Offender (FEO), a move that would empower Indian authorities to confiscate his assets.
Choksi’s arrest in Belgium is expected to pave the way for further legal proceedings concerning his extradition to India.
