New Delhi: Absconding diamantaire Mehul Choksi has been arrested in Belgium following a request by Indian probe agencies, and his extradition remains the topmost priority of agencies, including the CBI and the ED. However, the extradition of Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam accused Mehul Choksi remains an uphill task for the agencies, especially after the recent setback in Sanjay Bhandari's extradition.

Mehul Choksi Arrested: Extradition On Cards?

Choksi, accused of siphoning Rs 13,500 crore of public money from the state-run Punjab National Bank using fraudulent letters of undertaking along with his nephew Nirav Modi, has been arrested in Belgium.
Choksi was arrested by Belgian authorities on the request of Indian agencies. Further, a multi-agency team from India is all set to go to Belgium to begin Choksi's extradition process, reports stated.
A team comprising officials of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Enforcement Directorate (ED), Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), and some law experts will most likely head for the country next week.

Why Mehul Choksi's Extradition Will Be An Uphill Task

Mehul Choksi's lawyer, Vijay Aggarwal, said that a legal team will appeal against the businessman's arrest on health grounds. Asserting that Choksi is not a flight risk, Aggarwal said, "We will be defending on two grounds- first, it is a political case, secondly, because of the human condition in India (condition of prisons in India)."
"My client, Mehul Choks, has been arrested in Belgium, and at the moment, he is in custody. We will be starting the process of filing an appeal against this. We will be requesting that he be pulled out of prison. The major ground for the plea is his ill health and that he is undergoing cancer treatment..." Mehul Choksi's advocate, ate Vijay Agga,rwal said.

Condition Of Indian Prisons & Setback In Sanjay Bhandari Case

Just a few days back, the London High Court refused the Indian government's application seeking permission to appeal in Britain's Supreme Court against Sanjay Bhandari's discharge.
Bhandari, who offered consultancy services to defence manufacturers bidding for Indian government contracts through his firm Offset India Solutions, is wanted in India to face charges of alleged tax evasion and money laundering.
The High Court pointed out two reasons for its denial - firstly, the 'standard of proof' imposed on the accused person; secondly, it was linked to the conditions of Delhi's Tihar jail.
"In Tihar prison, the appellant (Bhandari) would be at real risk of extortion, accompanied by threatened or actual violence, from other prisoners and/or prison officials,” the judgment said, as reported by PTI. The court reportedly also cited the revenge killing of gangster Tillu Tajpuria inside Tihar Jail.
Belgium may also follow a similar course, given the country's sensitivity towards 'Human Rights issues' as the European Convention on Human Rights applies there.