Belgian Court Rejects Mehul Choksi’s Bail Plea Again Ahead of Extradition Hearing

The bail plea of fugitive diamond trader Mehul Choksi, accused in the Rs. 6,300 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case, has once again been turned down by a Belgian court of appeal, just weeks before his scheduled extradition hearing.

The court refused to grant relief after accepting arguments presented by the Belgian prosecution based on submissions from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which warned that Choksi posed a significant flight risk given his history of evading legal processes in multiple jurisdictions.

Officials stated that the CBI provided strong grounds to support continued detention, emphasizing that Choksi had earlier fled India and even attempted to escape from Antigua to Dominica during pending legal proceedings. The court observed that releasing him on bail, even under stringent conditions such as house arrest or electronic monitoring, could jeopardize the ongoing extradition process.

This is the second time Choksi’s attempt for interim relief has failed in Belgium.

In his second plea filed on August 22, Choksi cited health issues and offered to remain under surveillance if granted conditional liberty. The court, however, found merit in the prosecution’s objections and maintained its stance against granting bail.

Choksi’s extradition is being pursued under the principle of dual criminality, as the alleged offenses; criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery, and corruption are punishable under both Indian and Belgian law. The CBI has also invoked the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) and the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) to bolster India’s request.

Brief Background

The investigation into Mehul Choksi began in 2018, when the Rs. 6,300 crore PNB fraud was uncovered, involving fraudulent Letters of Undertaking issued from the bank’s Brady House branch in Mumbai.

Before the case surfaced, Choksi had secured citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda in 2017 under its Citizenship by Investment Programme and left India. That same year and thereafter, multiple arrest warrants were issued against him by a special Mumbai court, followed by attachment of his properties under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. Interpol also issued Red Notices seeking his location.

In May 2021, Choksi was detained in Dominica for illegal entry after allegedly trying to escape from Antigua, where extradition proceedings were ongoing. He was eventually sent back to Antigua. The case resurfaced in Europe when Choksi was arrested in Antwerp in April 2025 based on India’s extradition request.

Following his detention in Belgium, Choksi moved the Court of Cassation, which dismissed his first bail application earlier this year.

On August 22, 2025, he filed a fresh plea proposing house arrest and electronic monitoring, citing health concerns. The Belgian court of appeal rejected the plea in late August 2025, agreeing with the prosecution’s argument that he posed a substantial risk of absconding.

His extradition hearing is fixed for mid-September 2025, with the CBI actively coordinating with Belgian authorities to secure his return to India.