Fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi
Photo : AP
The bail plea of fugitive diamond trader Mehul Choksi, wanted in India in connection with over Rs 6300-crore fraud in the Punjab National Bank (PNB), has again been turned down by a court of appeal in Belgium. This comes just ahead of his extradition hearing before a court in that country. His earlier bail application, heard by the Court of Cassation in Belgium, was also rejected.
After his bail plea was rejected by the Court of Cassation, Choksi had filed another bail application on August 22 and offered to be under house arrest — under surveillance at home — but the court of appeal rejected it earlier this week.
The court rejected the appeal on strong reasons conveyed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The CBI said that Choksi had escaped from many jurisdictions earlier as well to evade legal proceedings and may flee to another country if let out on bail.
Notably, Choksi was arrested in Belgium in April this year on the basis of an extradition request sent by the CBI.
Choksi To Be Extradited To India Soon?
The arguments in the extradition case of 66-year-old Choksi, the owner of Gitanjali Group, will be taken up in a court in Belgium in mid-September. The CBI will assist the Belgian prosecution in putting forth a strong case to send him back to India to face trial in cases against him.
Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi are wanted in the Rs 13000 crore fraud in Punjab National Bank.
Nirav Modi, declared a fugitive economic offender, has been lodged in a London jail since he was held by the authorities there in 2019 on the basis of a legal request made by the ED and the CBI in this case. He is contesting extradition to India. Meanwhile, Choksi has been held in Belgium.