Govt committed to bringing back fugitives like Mehul Choksi: MEA

MEA Secretary Sibi George affirmed India's commitment to bring back economic fugitives. He said Mehul Choksi was arrested by Belgian authorities and the government is working on his extradition to face the law for the PNB loan fraud case.

The government today said it remains committed to ensuring that the economic fugitives are brought back to India to face the law. Answering queries on the extradition of fugitive Mehul Choksi, a key accused in the Rs 13,500 crore Punjab National Bank loan fraud case, MEA Secretary (West) Sibi George said

The fugitive was arrested by the Belgian authorities in April last year, and he has been in the Belgian jail since then. , "... As far as the extradition request is concerned, it is pursuant to India's extradition request, which was made some time back. The fugitive was arrested by the Belgian authorities in April last year, and he has been in the Belgian jail since then. So the government of India remains committed to ensuring that the fugitives are brought back to India to face the law and justice," he said.

Belgian Court Dismisses Choksi's Appeal

Sibi George was addressing a special media briefing on visit of Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever to India. In December last year, the Court of Cassation of Belgium dismissed Choksi's appeal against extradition to India, terming the objections raised by fugitive diamantaire as lacking substance and affirming that he failed to establish any legal or factual ground warranting interference with earlier orders permitting his surrender.

In its judgment, the Belgian Supreme Court upheld the October 17, 2025, ruling of the Antwerp Court of Appeal's Chamber of Indictment and concluded that the extradition proceedings fully complied with domestic law as well as European human rights standards. The court rejected all three grounds of challenge raised by Choksi, including alleged violations of fair trial rights, claims of abduction, and apprehensions relating to prison conditions in India. (ANI)

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