Mehul Choksi wanted to flee to Switzerland, but India foiled his plan: Report

Fugitive diamond trader Mehul Choksi, wanted in India in connection with the ₹13,500 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case, was arrested by Belgian police over the weekend, just as he was reportedly preparing to flee to Switzerland under the guise of seeking medical treatment.

The arrest marks a major breakthrough in a relentless seven-year pursuit by Indian authorities across three countries.

Choksi, the owner of the Gitanjali Group and a central figure in one of India’s largest bank frauds, had fled the country in 2018 along with his nephew Nirav Modi, his wife Ami Modi, and brother Neeshal Modi. Soon after, he acquired Antiguan citizenship through its investment program, complicating India’s attempts to bring him to justice.

His arrest in Belgium follows a covert operation by Indian agencies, including the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED), who had been tracking his movements across the globe.

Belgian police acted swiftly on inputs provided by Indian officials after it became clear Choksi was attempting to flee to Switzerland for cancer treatment at the Hirslanden Klinik Aarau, reports India Today citing sources.

Choksi had obtained an F residency card from Belgium in November last year by using forged documents, allegedly involving his wife Preeti Choksi, a Belgian national. He falsely cited humanitarian grounds and critical medical conditions to gain the residency, all while concealing his dual citizenship status – he remains both an Indian and Antiguan citizen.

Indian officials moved fast when they discovered that Choksi had applied for an upgrade to an F+ residency card, which would have made extradition significantly more challenging. In response, Belgian authorities suspended the conversion process and arrested Choksi in Antwerp on the basis of two non-bailable warrants issued by a Mumbai court in 2018 and 2021.

Currently lodged in a Belgian jail, Choksi’s bail hearing is expected to take place after a week. His lawyer, Vijay Aggarwal, confirmed the arrest and said legal efforts are underway to secure his release. “We will be starting the process of filing an appeal against this, and then… we will be requesting that he be pulled out of prison,” said Aggarwal, citing Choksi’s poor health and cancer treatment as grounds for relief.

Mehul Choksi’s run-ins with law

This is not Choksi’s first run-in with international law enforcement. In 2021, he was arrested in the Dominican Republic for illegal entry, triggering a dramatic sequence of legal battles. A CBI team was dispatched to secure his extradition, but his lawyers successfully argued for his return to Antigua for medical reasons. The British Queen’s Privy Council later ruled in his favor, and he was flown back to Antigua after spending 51 days in jail.

Despite multiple setbacks, Indian authorities persisted. They learned of Choksi’s presence in Belgium last year and promptly alerted local agencies, sharing a comprehensive dossier detailing his role in the massive bank fraud. Belgian police arrested him shortly afterward, preventing what would have been another escape – this time to Switzerland.

Choksi had previously offered to cooperate with Indian agencies via video conferencing, citing his health and inability to travel. However, this proposal was rejected. With his latest arrest, India appears to be inching closer to bringing the fugitive businessman back to face trial on home soil.

The ED and CBI are now preparing to initiate formal extradition proceedings in Belgium.