Will Not Interfere In Choksi Extradition

In a major breakthrough in India’s bid to bring back fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi, senior official from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) said the Government of Antigua and Barbuda has communicated to both Belgian and Indian authorities that it will not interfere in the ongoing extradition proceedings in Belgium.

A senior Indian official added, “Choksi is now a man without any citizenship, except the Indian origin that he can’t shake off. Antigua has clarified that the matter of arrest and extradition falls entirely under Belgian jurisdiction, and that it will not intervene in any manner.

Choksi has challenged the revocation of his Antiguan citizenship in the High Court of Antigua and Barbuda, claiming he is a victim of political persecution and that due process was not followed. However, Antiguan authorities have made it clear to Indian counterparts that since his citizenship has been officially revoked and judicial proceedings are underway, no citizen rights will be extended to him in Belgian court proceedings, sources in the ED said.

Choksi, a key accused in the Rs.13,500 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam, had obtained Antiguan citizenship in 2017 through the country’s Citizenship by Investment Programme. However, the Antiguan government revoked his citizenship in 2023, citing concealment of material facts and misrepresentation of his criminal background at the time of application.

According to ED officials, the decision to revoke Choksi’s citizenship came after authorities in Antigua and Barbuda concluded that he had failed to disclose his pending criminal investigations in India and had manipulated the due diligence process while securing a second passport.

the Antiguan government has taken a neutral stance Antigua has indicated that it will neither support nor object to the extradition being pursued by Indian authorities in Belgium.Officials believe that with Antigua out of the picture and the matter now resting squarely within Belgian jurisdiction, the road to securing Choksi’s extradition may become less politically sensitive and more reliant on legal cooperation and documentation.

According to officials, all possible aspects related to Mehul Choksi’s arrest in Belgium and extradition were thoroughly scrutinised before initiating the process. It was only after Choksi was traced to Belgium around July–August last year 2024,based on information that he had travelled there from Antigua and Barbuda for medical treatment.that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the nodal authority in the case, along with the Enforcement Directorate (ED), moved forward. An extradition request was subsequently sent to Belgian authorities based on an arrest warrant issued by a Mumbai court. A team from the central agencies then travelled to Belgium to engage with local authorities and ensure there were no legal loopholes like the ones that complicated an earlier attempt to bring Choksi back from Dominica in 2021. .

“Every legal aspect was taken into account in advance,” an official said, adding that the agencies were particularly cautious about Choksi possibly claiming Antiguan nationality again to block extradition. “We made sure that such claims wouldn’t derail the process this time,” the official added.

Mehul Choksi’s legal team is now preparing to challenge both his arrest and the ongoing extradition proceedings in Belgium. His lawyers are expected to file an appeal seeking his release on medical grounds, citing his ill health and ongoing cancer treatment.According to them, the court in Dominica had earlier permitted Choksi to return to Antigua and Barbuda for specialised medical care, and his current stay in Belgium was solely for advanced treatment—not as a resident or member of the local community.

Choksi’s defence is also expected to invoke provisions of the extradition treaty, which requires that the alleged offence be recognised as a crime in both countries. Additionally, the legal challenge may include human rights concerns, with the team likely to argue that prison conditions in India do not meet international standards and could endanger his health.