Following the arrest of fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi in Belgium, his lawyer Vijay Aggarwal raised serious concerns on Monday about the potential violation of Choksi’s human rights if he is extradited to India. Addressing the media, Aggarwal stated that the defence will oppose the extradition on two key grounds: the political nature of the case and concerns over Choksi’s deteriorating health.
“His human rights will be greatly affected if he is extradited,” Aggarwal asserted, citing potential harassment by political parties and the lack of adequate medical facilities in India. He claimed Choksi suffers from cancer and other serious health issues and is currently undergoing treatment in Belgium.
Aggarwal emphasized that Choksi has not been declared a fugitive because he has cooperated with Indian agencies to the extent his health allowed. “We’ve always told the court that he is willing to join the investigation virtually. Due to his medical condition, he cannot travel to India, but he is not absconding,” he said.
The lawyer added that multiple applications have been filed requesting that Choksi be allowed to participate in investigations via video conference. “He is extremely sick, and past experiences have left him traumatized. He suffers from PTSD and has developed permanent deformities after the previous episode when he was picked up from Antigua,” Aggarwal claimed.
Choksi was arrested on Saturday in Belgium, where authorities confirmed his presence. He is currently in custody, but Aggarwal clarified that they will be appealing for his release during the extradition proceedings. “We will request that he be allowed to contest the extradition while not being kept in detention,” he said.
Choksi, 65, fled India on January 2, 2018, and is wanted by the CBI and Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the ₹13,850 crore Punjab National Bank scam. Along with his nephew Nirav Modi, he is accused of fraudulently obtaining Letters of Undertaking and Foreign Letters of Credit between 2014 and 2017, causing a wrongful loss of ₹6,097.63 crore to PNB.
