According to a recent media report, fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi is living in the Belgian city of Antwerp with his wife Preeti Choksi. The report claims that Choksi has obtained a ‘residence card’ in Belgium. After this news surfaced, Indian authorities have requested Belgium to extradite him to India. However, Indian officials have not immediately confirmed this report.
What are the charges against Mehul Choksi?
Mehul Choksi is a prominent businessman of India and is the owner of Gitanjali Group, which is involved in the retail jewelry business. He is wanted in India in a bank loan fraud case of ₹ 13,500 crore. Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi are considered accused in the Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam. In this scam, it is alleged that Choksi and Modi fraudulently withdrew more than Rs 14,000 crore from PNB. In 2018, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered a case against the two and their family members, employees and bank officials. Choksi left the country in January 2018 and has been absconding since then.
Choksi’s stay in Belgium and extradition case
Choksi was earlier living in Antigua and Barbuda, where he was residing with his wife Priti Choksi for a long time. Now reports are coming that Choksi has obtained an ‘F Residency Card’ in Antwerp, Belgium and is living there. According to the Associated Times report, Choksi has submitted false documents in Belgium to avoid extradition from India. Choksi provided “false declarations” and “forged documents” to Belgian authorities and concealed his citizenship of India and Antigua.
This also indicates that Choksi has committed fraud in his residency process and as a result, India has requested Belgium to extradite him. The report also stated that Choksi has expressed his intention to move to Switzerland, where he allegedly wants to receive medical assistance for cancer treatment. However, no further information is available on this.
Nirav Modi case
Nirav Modi, who is Mehul Choksi’s nephew, is currently lodged in a London jail. He has repeatedly protested against his extradition to India, and his bail plea has been repeatedly rejected by the courts.
