Appeal for Release of Choksi After Arrest in Belgium

Lawyers representing Mehul Choksi will file an appeal in court for his release, following his arrest over the weekend.

Choksi, a fugitive Indian diamond tycoon who also holds Antiguan and Barbudan citizenship, is accused of one of India’s largest bank frauds

He travelled to Belgium for medical treatment and was arrested in Antwerp, as confirmed by his legal team.
This arrest follows an extradition request from Indian authorities concerning allegations of his involvement in a $1.8 billion fraud case involving Punjab National Bank, the second-largest public lender in India. Choksi and his nephew, Nirav Modi, have both faced serious accusations and fled India in 2018.

Choksi was apprehended on Saturday during his visit to the diamond trading hub of Antwerp, where he has significant business interests.

His lawyer, Vijay Aggarwal, stated that they are preparing to file an appeal for Choksi’s release, emphasizing that he is “not a flight risk” and is currently battling severe health issues, including cancer.

Aggarwal argued that the appeal would highlight the alleged political motivations behind Choksi’s case and the inhumane conditions often found in Indian prisons.

Both Choksi and Modi have vehemently denied the charges against them, claiming innocence in the fraudulent activities orchestrated through fake financial documents intended to secure loans for purchasing and importing jewelry.

Nirav Modi, who built a substantial international jewelry empire with operations extending to New York and Hong Kong, was arrested in the UK in 2019 and remains incarcerated.

The ongoing situation surrounding both jewelers raises critical questions regarding international extradition laws and the complexities of legal battles across borders.