‘No obstacles to Choksi’s extradition to India’: Big setback for Mehul Choksi as Belgian court rejects…, the fugitive diamond merchant will now be…
New Delhi: In a massive setback for fugitive Mehul Choksi, a Belgian court on Tuesday said that there’s no legal obstacle to sending the fugitive Mehul Choksi back to India. Notably, Mehul Choksi, a popular diamond businessman has been facing extradition charges in connection with a fraud case of Rs. 13,500 crore at the Punjab National Bank (PNB). This comes as a major success for India, as the court has considered the allegations against Choksi to be of a serious nature, allowing India to request his extradition. If the merchant gets extradited, he’ll be held in Mumbai’s Arthur Road Jail in Barrack No. 12.
Who is Mehul Choksi?
As per media reports, Mehul Choksi was involved in stock market manipulation in the year 2013. As per the court, the alleged crimes of fraud, forgery, and corruption were committed by the merchant between December 31, 2016, and January 1, 2019. At this, Choksi had argued that he was abducted from Antigua and would have to face political persecution in India. However, the Belgian court didn’t find evidence to verify these claims.
What did the Belgian court say on Mehul Choksi?
The Belgian court clarified that Mehul Choksi isn’t a Belgian citizen, but a foreign national. In addition, it found that the cases against Choksi in India fall under multiple sections of the IPC (Indian Penal Code). These include Section 120B (Criminal Conspiracy), 201 (Disappearance of evidence), 409 (Breach of trust by a Public Servant), 420 (Cheating and Dishonesty), and 477A (Falsification of accounts).
The court also stated that many of these offences fall under the criminal code of Belgium as serious offences, leaving one, i.e., destruction of evidence, which can’t be the sole reason for Choksi’s extradition.
What’s next for Mehul Choksi?
India has assured the Belgian court that if Mehul Choksi is extradited, he’ll be put in Mumbai’s Arthur Road Jail in Barrack No. 12. The government has further promised that Choksi will be moved only under medical grounds or court hearings.
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