Belgium's Court of Cassation has rejected fugitive Mehul Choksi's appeal against extradition to India over the PNB scam. The court endorsed lower rulings finding no risk of denial of justice, torture, or mistreatment in India. This decision clears a major hurdle for his return to face charges in the ₹13,000 crore fraud case.
On December 17, 2025, Belgium's Court of Cassation dismissed Mehul Choksi's appeal against India's extradition request, upholding a lower court's assessment that his claims of potential injustice or ill-treatment in India lack substantiation. The apex court imposed €104 in costs on Choksi and affirmed the Indictment Chamber of the Antwerp Court of Appeal's findings, noting that his provided documentation was insufficient to demonstrate a 'real, present and serious risk' of flagrant denial of justice, torture, or inhuman treatment.
Choksi, accused in the ₹13,000 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud, allegedly siphoned off ₹6,400 crore, according to the Central Bureau of Investigation's chargesheet. He fled India in early January 2018, just before the scam surfaced. At the request of India's CBI and Enforcement Directorate, Interpol issued a Red Notice for him in December 2018. The Commission for the Control of Interpol's Files (CCF) removed his name in November 2022 following an appeal, but this did not sway the Belgian courts.
Choksi argued against extradition citing an alleged kidnapping attempt from Antigua, media coverage breaching his presumption of innocence, and withheld information on the CCF decision during initial proceedings. However, the Court of Cassation ruled that his defense rights were adequately protected through the appeal process, where all documents, including the CCF findings, were examined. It upheld a November 29, 2024, order by the Antwerp District Court's pre-trial chamber declaring Mumbai special court arrest warrants enforceable, except for one related to evidence tampering.
India submitted its extradition request to Belgium on August 27, 2024, after Choksi was located there for medical treatment. The public prosecutor initiated enforcement action on November 25, 2024. India has provided assurances on Choksi's safety, trial charges, prison conditions, human rights, and medical care. The court's role, presided over by Filip Van Volsem and others, was limited to verifying legal application, not re-examining facts or policy.
This ruling advances India's efforts to bring Choksi, a key figure in the 2018 banking scandal, back for trial.
