Fugitive diamond merchant Mehul Choksi has appealed to the Supreme Court of Belgium against an order of the court in Antwerp. An official said that the court in Antwerp had declared Choksi’s extradition valid. An Antwerp court on Friday (October 17) approved the extradition of fugitive diamond trader Mehul Choksi. According to officials, this order strengthens India’s case for his extradition. However, the court had said that Choksi has the option to appeal against this decision in a Belgian High Court.

The court said- Choksi’s crimes satisfy the principle necessary for extradition.

A Belgium-based court in Antwerp has said in one of its decisions that Choksi’s crimes are punishable under Indian law under sections 201, 409, 420 and 477-A along with section 120-B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). There is a provision for punishment of more than one year under Sections 7 and 13(2) along with Section 13(1)(c) and (d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The court further said that the charges of criminal organisation, cheating, embezzlement and forgery against Choksi are also punishable under Belgian law. Choksi’s offenses thus satisfy the principle of dual criminality required for extradition under Articles 66, 196, 197, 213, 240, 241, 245, 246, 247 SSS2-4, 324 A-B and 496 of the Belgian Criminal Code.

Choksi’s argument that the allegations were politically motivated rejected

The Antwerp court also rejected Choksi’s argument that the extradition request was politically motivated or violated his fundamental rights. The court said that the alleged crimes “cannot be considered political, military or non-extraditable tax offences”, and that ‘there is no basis to believe that this request was made with the intention of prosecuting or punishing any person on the grounds of his race, religion, nationality or political affiliation.’