Mehul Choksi suffers fresh legal blow as Belgian court adjourns second plea contesting arrest
A Belgian court has adjourned the hearing on a second plea filed by fugitive diamond merchant Mehul Choksi, demanding his immediate release and contesting his arrest, citing procedural irregularities.
He was arrested by Belgian authorities earlier this month following an official request from Indian authorities for his extradition.
Choksi, a key accused in the ₹ 13,500 crore Punjab National Bank loan fraud case, claimed that Belgian authorities failed to adhere to the prescribed legal procedures during his arrest.
In his plea before the Belgian Court of Appeal, he also said that the authorities disregarded due process and violated his fundamental rights, contravening the principles of natural justice.
This development comes just days after the Belgian court rejected Choksi's bail plea in the same case.
Last week, a court in Belgium denied the bail plea of Mehul Choksi.
A three-judge bench heard arguments in Dutch before ruling against granting bail.
Choksi's lawyer Vijay Aggarwal told news agency ANI that Belgian law allows multiple bail applications.
"Unfortunately, my client has been denied bail today. However, in Belgium, we can apply for bail as many times as needed. We will carefully consider the court's observations and submit a fresh bail plea on new grounds soon," Aggarwal said.
He also reiterated that Choksi's legal team would contest his extradition on two main grounds--the political nature of the case and concerns regarding his medical condition and treatment in India.
He earlier stated that Choksi has cooperated with Indian investigative agencies and has repeatedly offered to join the investigation via video conferencing due to his health issues.
Earlier, Choksi's legal team had also pointed out procedural prerequisites for extradition, including the issuance of non-bailable warrants since 2018.
Previous attempts to extradite Choksi from Dominica had failed, and Choksi had been receiving medical treatment in Antigua before travelling to Belgium for cancer care, said Aggarwal.
The next date for the hearing has not yet been notified.
First Published: 29 Apr 2025, 06:15 PM IST
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