India, Oct. 18 -- A Belgian court has ruled in favour of extraditing Mehul Choksi (65) to India, validating his arrest following India's formal extradition request.

This marks a significant step in the fugitive businessman facing charges related to a massive financial fraud case, officials familiar with the matter said.

Choksi was detained by Belgian police on April 11, based on an extradition request submitted by India's Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Since then, he has remained in

custody, with several failed attempts to secure bail in Belgian courts.

The Antwerp court examined arguments from both the Belgian prosecutors - acting on behalf of India - and Choksi's legal representatives before concluding that his detention and I...