New Delhi, Oct. 22 -- In a landmark ruling that strengthens India's hand, the Antwerp Court of Appeal in Belgium has dismissed fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi's appeal and cleared his extradition to face trial in the Rs 13,000 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case.
The court delivered a decisive blow to a key pillar of Choksi's defense by ruling that his citizenship is not a barrier to extradition.
A significant part of the legal battle revolved around Choksi's nationality. His defense team had argued that the extradition request was flawed because Indian authorities did not fully detail his citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda.
The Belgian court categorically rejected this argument. It firmly stated that for the purpose of extradi...