Fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi living in Belgium’s Antwerp, India requests extradition: Report

Reports emerged on Sunday claiming that fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi is living in Belgium's Antwerp with his wife, Preeti Choksi. According to a media report, Choksi obtained a 'residency card' in the country.

Indian authorities have requested the Belgian authorities to initiate his extradition to India, Associated Times, a media outlet that focuses on the Caribbean region, reported.

There was no immediate confirmation of the report by Indian authorities.

Who is Mehul Choksi, what are charges against him?

Mehul Choksi is a fugitive Indian businessman and the owner of Gitanjali Group, a retail jewellery firm in India. He is wanted in India in connection with a ₹13,500-crore bank loan fraud case.

Choksi, along with his nephew Nirav Modi, is accused in the Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam where it is alleged that the Choksi-Modi duo defrauded the bank of more than ₹14,000 crore, Business Standard reported.

Choksi, his nephew Nirav Modi, their family members and employees, bank officials and others were booked by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in 2018 for perpetrating the alleged fraud in the Brady House branch of the PNB in Mumbai.

The businessman fled the country in January 2018.

Where is Mehul Choksi now?

Choksi was earlier believed to be living in Antigua and Barbuda before travelling to Belgium. His wife Preeti is known to be a Belgian citizen.

Choksi is currently residing in Antwerp, Belgium with his wife, Preeti Choksi by securing 'F Residency Card' in the country, the media outlet reported.

The Associated Times report claimed that Choksi gave misleading and fabricated documentation to obtain residency in Belgium to escape extradition to India.

Choksi submitted "false declarations" and "forged documents" to Belgian authorities and misrepresented his nationality in his application process, failing to disclose the details of his existing citizenship of India and Antigua, the report said citing sources.

Choksi planning to move to Switzerland?

The report added that Choksi grounds of medical treatment at a well-known cancer hospital.

Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi allegedly siphoned off ₹13,500 crore of public money from the state-run Punjab National Bank (PNB) using fraudulent letters of undertaking.

Nirav Modi, lodged in a London jail, is contesting his extradition to India after repeated denial of bail by courts.

In May 2021, Choksi went missing from Antigua but was traced and returned to it later.

(With inputs from PTI)