US EditionAnother Setback to Mehul Choksi, Belgian Court Rejects Fresh Bail Plea of Key Accused in PNB Scam Case
Belgian court cited Mehul Choksi's repeated flight from legal proceedings as a key reason for denying bail ahead of his extradition hearing scheduled for mid-September.
- Mehul Choksi, a 66-year-old fugitive diamond trader and owner of Gitanjali Group, faces extradition to India from Belgium over a Punjab National Bank fraud case.
- Indian authorities issued multiple indefinite arrest warrants in 2018 and 2021, which were forwarded to Belgium to support the extradition proceedings under charges brought under the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act.
- Choksi is accused of multiple offenses under the Indian Penal Code, such as conspiring to commit crimes, deceiving others, and manipulating financial records, which are also punishable under Belgian law, thereby enabling authorities to apply the dual criminality principle in pursuing his extradition.
- A Belgian court of appeals rejected Choksi’s bail plea on CBI’s strong request, citing his previous escapes and risk of fleeing again if released ahead of a mid-September extradition hearing.
- The CBI assists the Belgian prosecution by providing detailed evidence and plans to hire a European law firm, signaling continued efforts to return Choksi to India to face trial.
12 Articles
12 Articles
Mehul Choksi Bail Plea Rejected: Belgian Court Again Denies Bail to Fugitive Diamantaire Ahead of Extradition Hearing
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. Sources indicate that the court was persuaded by arguments from India's Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which emphasised Choksi's history of evading legal proceedings across multiple jurisdictions. The CBI submitted that if granted bail, Choksi posed a significant flight risk and could potentially flee to another country. Mehul Choksi Bail Plea Rejected: Belgian Court Again Denies Bail…
Another setback to Mehul Choksi, Belgian court rejects fresh bail plea of key accused in PNB scam case
The Belgian court rejected Mehul Choksi's bail request, citing his history of fleeing legal action, officials said. The CBI is working to extradite him for his alleged role in a ₹6300-crore fraud at Punjab National Bank, providing evidence to support the case in Belgium.
Mehul Choksi’s Bail Plea Rejected By Belgian Court Of Appeals
Choksi's previous bail plea was also rejected in Belgium post which they said Choksi 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.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources lean Right
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
