Choksi Arrested; India Pushes for Extradition

Fugitive diamond trader Mehul Choksi has been arrested in Belgium, marking a significant step in India's efforts to extradite him over his involvement in the ₹14,000 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case. Choksi, along with his nephew Nirav Modi, fled India in 2018 after being accused of using fraudulent Letters of Undertaking (LoUs) to secure large loans from PNB, causing a massive loss to the bank. His arrest in Antwerp followed a formal extradition request by Indian authorities, who have seized assets worth millions from both Choksi and Modi. Belgian authorities are currently holding Choksi as India pushes for his extradition, although his legal team plans to contest the extradition citing his medical condition and poor prison conditions in India. Choksi's arrest is part of a broader effort by Indian agencies to recover assets linked to the PNB scam, which has led to significant legal challenges in both India and abroad. The extradition process is expected to be lengthy, with concerns about human rights and the dual criminality test potentially complicating proceedings.