In a significant boost to India’s pursuit of fugitive diamond trader Mehul Choksi, the Antwerp Court of Appeal in Belgium has ruled that his extradition to India can proceed, holding that there is no real risk of torture, inhuman treatment or denial of a fair trial if he is returned to face charges.

The detailed 13-page judgment, which was delivered on October 17 and has been accessed by The Tribune , dismissed all objections raised by Choksi’s lawyers and upheld India’s extradition request for offences, including criminal conspiracy, cheating, corruption, breach of trust and forgery.

Choksi (66), a key accused in the Rs 13,500-crore Punjab National Bank fraud case, has been detained in Antwerp since April 12 following an Indian extradition request supported by two arrest warrants issu

See Full Page