Fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi’s long run from Indian law may finally be nearing its end as a court in Antwerp on Friday cleared his extradition, holding that his arrest by the Belgian authorities on New Delhi’s request was lawful and backed by sufficient evidence.

The order has come as a strong validation for India’s case seeking his extradition, with Choksi having the option of appealing against the decision in a superior court in Belgium, said officials. Choksi is accused of masterminding the Rs 13,000-crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud, which is one of the country’s biggest banking scams, in collusion with his nephew Nirav Modi.

The Antwerp court, after hearing detailed submissions from both sides, accepted India’s arguments that the extradition request met all legal condition

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