PNB Scam: Fugitive Mehul Choksi found living in Belgium; India seeks extradition

Indian authorities have reached out to their Belgian counterparts to begin the process of his extradition.

Choksi is wanted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for allegedly defrauding Punjab National Bank (PNB) of ₹13,850 crore.

Earlier, he was previously believed to be residing in Antigua and Barbuda.

However, he left the Caribbean nation for medical treatment, while still holding Antiguan citizenship, Antigua’s Foreign Minister EP Chet Greene told ANI on March 19.

The 65-year-old diamond trader has been living in Belgium since November 15, 2023, using an "F residency card," reportedly obtained with the assistance of his Belgian wife.

This residency status allows a third-country national to stay in Belgium under specific conditions if they are accompanied by their spouse.

According to Associates Times, Choksi allegedly used false and fabricated documents to secure residency in Belgium and avoid extradition.

While he has not renounced his Indian citizenship, reports suggest that if his temporary residency becomes permanent, it could grant him greater travel freedom across Europe, making it more difficult for India to tighten its extradition net.

Reports indicate that Choksi may be planning to relocate to Switzerland for treatment at Hirslanden Klinik Aarau, a cancer hospital.

Speculation suggests he might attempt to use humanitarian grounds to avoid being sent back to India.

Choksi fled India in January 2018 after the PNB fraud case was exposed. In May 2024, he told a Mumbai special court that his absence was due to "reasons beyond (my) control," arguing that he should not be labelled a "fugitive economic offender."

The ED had filed an application seeking to declare him a fugitive for evading its summons and to seize his properties.

In May 2021, Choksi disappeared from Antigua, fuelling speculation that he had been kidnapped by Indian authorities—an allegation that was later dismissed when he was found in Dominica.

In December 2024, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman told Parliament that assets worth ₹22,280 crore had been recovered or sold to repay debts linked to fugitives like Choksi. Meanwhile, his nephew, Nirav Modi—also accused in the PNB fraud—is fighting a legal battle in the UK against his extradition to India.