After Tahawwur Hussain Rana’s Extradition, Heat Is On Economic Offenders

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The successful extradition of the mastermind of the dastardly 26/11, 2008 Mumbai Attacks Tahawwur Hussain Rana from United States to India to face trial  is seen  as major diplomatic win . This gives India hope of bringing back the other economic offenders who had left India . Among them is Mehul Choksi, a fugitive since 2018, was detained on April 12, 2025, from one of Belgium’s hospital, where he had reportedly been undergoing treatment.

His arrest came days after Indian authorities stepped up extradition efforts. He had travelled to Europe, citing poor health, shortly after ED and CBI began pushing harder for his return. Choksi, wanted in the Punjab National Bank (PNB) loan fraud case, has been arrested by Belgian authorities.

He is currently being held at a detention centre in Belgium and has been residing in the country for the past six months. His health condition is said to be deteriorating, with reports indicating that he is undergoing treatment for blood cancer. Choksi had been planning to move to Switzerland from Belgium for further medical treatment when he was arrested.

Upon arrest, Choksi’s Advocate Vijay Aggarwal said, “My client Mehul Choksi has been arrested in Belgium and at the moment, he is in custody. We will be starting the process of filing an appeal against this, and then, as a process of appeal, we will be requesting that he be pulled out of prison. The major ground for the plea is his ill health and that he is undergoing cancer treatment…”. Choksi will be produced before the Belgian minister of justice, Annelies Verlinden.

The action was initiated after the ED and CBI submitted extradition requests in September 2024. At the time, Choksi’s lawyers argued that he was suffering from blood cancer and unfit for travel. However, Indian officials countered this claim in court, noting that if Choksi was capable of flying from Antigua to Belgium for medical treatment, he could also return to India, where adequate care was available.

His arrest was triggered after Indian agencies reactivated extradition requests following the removal of the Interpol Red Corner Notice against him. Despite that setback, the ED and CBI pursued a renewed request, which ultimately led to his capture in Belgium.

While Indian authorities are tirelessly working to bring him back to face trial, the extradition may be a prolonged process. Choksi is likely to pursue all available legal remedies in Belgian courts to resist deportation, and is expected to soon file for bail on medical grounds. Still, the Indian agencies are hopeful that even if Choksi is granted bail, he will not be allowed to return to Antigua. India is also exploring deportation as a possible alternative route to bring him back.

Choksi is accused of defrauding Punjab National Bank of over Rs 6,095 crore through a massive banking scam involving the fraudulent issuance of Letters of Undertaking (LOUs) and the manipulation of Foreign Letters of Credit (FLCs). Though the broader estimated fraud is pegged at over Rs 13,000 crore, investigative agencies have specifically built a case against Choksi based on the Rs 6,095 cr linked directly to his operations.

Clearly, the Indian agencies are tirelessly fighting tough battle in getting back the other fugitives- Nirav Modi, Vijay Mallya and Lalit Modi ( IPL founder)  who at present are in the UK. The challenges of maintaining economic and trade relations with these countries have to be kept in mind while trying to get these money launderers back to India.