New Delhi: The extradition proceedings against absconding diamantaire Mehul Choksi, wanted in the Rs 13,000 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case, are expected to commence in a Belgian court on Monday, September 15, officials said. The hearings will be conducted by Belgian federal prosecutors, with support from the CBI and India’s Ministry of External Affairs.

Choksi has been residing in Belgium since 2023, having moved from Antigua and Barbuda for medical treatment. His wife is a Belgian national.

The CBI received intelligence on his presence in Belgium in January 2024 and subsequently sent an extradition request under the India-Belgium treaty signed in 2020, making this the first case under the arrangement. He was arrested in April 2024, and his bail requests have been denied by Belgian courts.

The CBI has engaged a European law firm specializing in extradition law, and a team of officials will be present during the proceedings to provide documentation and evidence.

The agency has submitted comprehensive documents, including chargesheets, FIRs, and evidence summaries, demonstrating that Choksi’s alleged offenses under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Prevention of Corruption Act are also punishable under Belgian law, establishing dual criminality for extradition.

India has also cited the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) and the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) in its extradition request. Two open-ended arrest warrants issued by a special court in Mumbai in 2018 and 2021 have also been shared with Belgian authorities.

Authorities further argued that Choksi remains an Indian citizen, despite obtaining Antigua and Barbuda citizenship in 2017, as he did not complete the formal renunciation of his Indian nationality.

He left India on January 4, 2018, just before the PNB scam became public. His Antigua and Barbuda citizenship was reportedly revoked by that country’s government, and he is currently challenging the decision in court.

India has provided assurances to Belgium regarding prison conditions, including facilities at Arthur Road Prison in Mumbai, to allay concerns about custodial torture, inhuman treatment, or human rights violations during his detention.