Mon Apr 14 07:10:46 UTC 2025: ## Fugitive Diamantaire Mehul Choksi Arrested in Belgium After Seven-Year Manhunt
**Brussels, Belgium –** Mehul Choksi, the diamantaire accused in a massive Rs 12,636 crore (approximately $1.5 billion USD) fraud at Punjab National Bank, has been arrested in Belgium after a seven-year international manhunt. The 65-year-old, who fled India in 2018 shortly before the fraud was exposed, was apprehended on Saturday while allegedly attempting to flee to Switzerland.
Choksi, owner of the Gitanjali Group, is accused alongside his nephew Nirav Modi and others of orchestrating the massive bank fraud. His flight took him to Antigua, where he obtained citizenship, before a series of legal battles and escapes across multiple countries.
In 2021, he was arrested in the Dominican Republic for illegal entry, but was later released after a successful appeal and returned to Antigua. Indian agencies, including the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED), persistently tracked Choksi’s movements. Last year, they located him in Belgium and alerted Belgian authorities, sharing all relevant documentation.
Belgian police arrested Choksi on suspicion of using fabricated documents to obtain residency and concealing his Indian and Antiguan citizenship. Despite earlier claims from his lawyer that he was undergoing cancer treatment in Belgium and willing to cooperate via video conference, Indian authorities pursued his extradition.
Choksi’s lawyer has indicated he will file an application for relief on health grounds. Indian authorities are now working to secure Choksi’s extradition to face trial in India for the alleged fraud. The arrest marks a significant milestone in a long and complex international legal process.
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