A Belgian court on Tuesday heard the arguments submitted for Mehul Choksi’s extradition, people familiar with the matter said, adding that the evidence against the fugitive diamond was discussed by the Indian side and Choksi’s defense team.
The outcome of Tuesday’s extradition hearing, which was held from 2 pm to 4 pm (Belgium time), “will be sent to the Ministry of Security and Home Affairs which will have the final say in approving the court’s decision and returning Choksi to India,” an officer said.
This person said it could take at least a month for the Interior Ministry to decide on the extradition. The court’s decision was not known until late evening because the legal team at the court in Antwerp had not yet briefed officials in Delhi.
An officer, who requested to remain anonymous, said: “We hope for a positive decision because there is strong evidence against Choksi, and all courts in Belgium had previously rejected all of his appeals.”
Choksi’s legal team urged the Antwerp court not to extradite Choksi.
In December last year, the Supreme Court of Belgium rejected Choksi’s appeal against his arrest in Antwerp at the request of New Delhi, ruling that his claims that he is the subject of a political trial in India, or that he was kidnapped in 2021 in Antigua and Barbuda at the request of India and is at risk of torture, are not “factual.”
Choksi (65) is being held in a prison in Antwerp after his arrest on April 11 last year at India’s request. Indian investigators have accused Choksi of committing six bank frauds, between 2018 and 2022, involving amounts totaling nearly… $13,000 Crores.
Choksi’s extradition has been sought under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Prevention of Corruption Act; These are also crimes in Belgium under the dual criminality clause of the extradition treaty.
