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Choksi, in order to obtain the residency, allegedly submitted misleading and fabricated documentation, including false declarations and forged documents
Indian fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi. (AFP file photo)
Indian fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi is reportedly living in Belgium’s Antwerp with his wife, Preeti Choksi, who is a Belgian citizen, after securing an ‘F Residency Card’ in the country.
Choksi, who has been on the run from Indian authorities for several years, was granted residency on November 15, 2023. His wife is said to have played a key role in securing the residency for him, according to a report by Associated Times.
Sources told the publication that Choksi, in order to obtain the residency, allegedly submitted misleading and fabricated documentation, including false declarations and forged documents. He also reportedly failed to disclose his Indian and Antigua citizenships.
It is also learnt that Indian authorities have requested the Belgian government for Choksi’s extradition. However, his newly acquired Belgian residency complicates matters, granting him the freedom to travel between European countries and hindering efforts to bring him back to face trial in India.
Further complicating the situation, Choksi is reportedly planning to move to Switzerland, citing the need for medical treatment at the Hirslanden Klinik Aarau, a well-known cancer hospital. This move is being seen as another attempt to delay his extradition process, using humanitarian grounds as justification.
Choksi’s fraudulent activities, which include a massive financial scam, have led to him being declared a Fugitive Economic Offender (FEO) by the government of India.
The fugitive diamantaire is wanted in connection with the infamous Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case, which involved him and his nephew, Nirav Modi, defrauding the bank of over Rs 14,000 crore. The scam is considered one of the largest in the history of Indian banking.
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