Choksi's Belgian Escape: Fugitive Businessman in Extradition Crosshairs

Fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi is reported to be living in Antwerp, Belgium with forged documents to avoid extradition to India for a multi-crore bank fraud. Authorities are seeking his return as he plans to move to Switzerland under the pretense of medical treatment.

Fugitive Indian businessman Mehul Choksi, wanted in connection with a massive bank fraud, is reportedly residing in Antwerp, Belgium alongside his wife, Preeti Choksi. He has allegedly secured residency through misleading documentation, enabling him to evade extradition to India, as per reports from Associated Times.

The Indian government has requested Belgian authorities to initiate extradition proceedings, though formal confirmation from Indian authorities is currently pending. Choksi, accused of orchestrating a Rs 13,500-crore fraud with his nephew Nirav Modi involving the Punjab National Bank, was previously residing in Antigua and Barbuda.

Sources indicate that Choksi plans to relocate to Switzerland for alleged medical treatment, further complicating his legal standing. Meanwhile, his accomplice Nirav Modi remains in a London jail, fighting extradition proceedings while appeals for bail have been continuously denied.

(With inputs from agencies.)