How Indian authorities pursued fugitive-diamantaire Mehul Choksi for 7 years
What's the story
Mehul Choksi, the owner of the now-defunct Gitanjali Group, has been arrested in Belgium.
Choksi stands accused for his role in a ₹12,636 crore fraud case at Punjab National Bank.
He allegedly perpetrated the crime along with his nephew Nirav Modi, his wife Ami Modi, and brother Neeshal Modi.
The arrest was carried out following requests by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED), acting on non-bailable warrants issued by Mumbai courts.
Escape and capture
Choksi's flight and subsequent arrest
Choksi escaped India in 2018, shortly before the scam came to light. He had acquired citizenship in Antigua through an investment program.
In 2021, he was arrested in Dominican Republic for illegal entry, prompting India's crime investigating agency, the CBI, to rush to secure his custody.
But his lawyers assured a Dominican court that he would return for trial after treatment in Antigua, and he was released after 51 days when the extradition could not proceed.
Extradition efforts
Tracking and arrest of Choksi in Belgium
During his stay in Antigua, Choksi was under the watch of the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Last year, when they found he was living in Belgium, they immediately alerted Belgian authorities. Indian agencies also shared all concerned documents in the fraud case.
On April 12, the Belgian police arrested Choksi when he was found trying to flee to Switzerland.
He claimed he was moving to Switzerland to seek medical treatment at Hirslanden Klinik Aarau, a well-known cancer center.
Legal proceedings
Choksi's fraudulent residency application and legal status
Choksi had obtained residency in Belgium through his wife, Preeti, who is a Belgian citizen. He had submitted false documents to get a residency card, concealing Indian and Antiguan citizenships, reports said.
In February, his lawyer told a Mumbai court that Choksi couldn't return to India as he was undergoing treatment for blood cancer in Belgium.
He was willing to cooperate with Indian authorities via video conferencing, he said, but proposals were rejected as extradition efforts continued.
Legal strategy
Choksi's legal team response to extradition
Finally, at the behest of the CBI, the Belgian police arrested the fugitive diamantaire in Antwerp on Saturday.
Before the arrest, Belgium had confirmed to India in March that they "were aware of his presence and attached great importance and attention to it."
Indian authorities subsequently requested that their Belgian counterparts initiate his extradition to India, according to the Associated Times, a Caribbean-focused media outlet.
After Choksi's arrest, Indian authorities are now pursuing his extradition to stand trial.