Could Mehul Choksi's wife's Belgian citizenship be his ticket to escape extradition?
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00:00My husband was a businessman and yet everything is like he is the biggest terrorist or murderer
00:06on earth. This is Preeti Choksi, the wife of eugitive diamond trader Mehul Choksi,
00:11who is wanted for 13,000 crore Punjab national bank scam. Mehul Choksi was arrested in Adver,
00:17Belgium on 12th April 2025 following an extradition request by Indian authorities.
00:22But can his wife Preeti Choksi's Belgian citizenship shield him from being sent back to India?
00:27The extradition treaty between India and Belgium dates back over 125 years and was invoked in this
00:33case. In 2023, Preeti Choksi's Belgian citizenship enabled Mehul Choksi to secure an F-residency card,
00:40granting him temporary residency in Belgium. However, Belgian law does not provide immunity
00:45to non-citizen spouses of Belgian nationals. While Preeti's citizenship might not help her
00:50husband directly, as per the treaty, Belgium can refuse extradition if
00:54The offence is political or military in nature. There is a risk of persecution based on race,
00:59religion, nationality or political opinion. The person faces the death penalty unless assurances
01:04are given. The alleged crime is time-barred or not recognised as a crime in Belgium.
01:10Choksi fled India on 2nd January 2018 and Indian agencies have pursued his extradition ever since.
01:16Choksi may cite Antiguan citizenship and health issues to block extradition,
01:20but similar attempts failed before, including a 2021 plea to Queen Elizabeth II during his detention
01:26in Dominica.
01:27And during that appeal, you make a request there that my client should be permitted to contest
01:31the same without being in custody because he's not a flight risk and because of his medical condition.