Fugitive Indian Jeweler Mehul Choksi Arrested in Belgium Over $1.8 Billion Bank Fraud

Report By Safarti Tarjuman International Desk

Mehul Choksi, a fugitive Indian jeweler wanted in connection with one of India’s largest banking scandals, has been arrested in Belgium following a long-standing extradition request by Indian authorities.

The 64-year-old businessman was apprehended on Saturday in Antwerp, a global hub for diamond trade, according to reports from local media and a statement from his lawyer. Choksi, who also holds citizenship in Antigua and Barbuda, had been on the run since 2018 after being accused of orchestrating a $1.8 billion fraud involving Punjab National Bank (PNB).

Choksi’s legal counsel, Vijay Aggarwal, confirmed the arrest and stated that his client’s legal team would file an appeal seeking release. “We will argue that Mr. Choksi is not a flight risk, is gravely ill, and is undergoing cancer treatment,” Aggarwal said, emphasizing that the case carries political overtones and that Indian prison conditions are inhumane.