Belgian police have arrested fugitive diamond merchant Mehul Choksi, one of the prime accused in the $2-billion Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud, The Economic Times reported citing sources.Choksi was taken into custody on Saturday at the request of India’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and remains in jail, sources said. His arrest marks a significant development in the years-long effort to bring him to justice after he fled India in 2018.Mehul Choksi was arrested in Belgium under two open-ended arrest warrants issued by a Mumbai court — one dated May 23, 2018, and another from June 15, 2021. The warrants were issued in connection with the Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam, in which Choksi and his nephew, Nirav Modi, are accused of defrauding the bank of ₹13,850 crore.Choksi, who is currently in custody, is expected to seek bail, citing ill health and other reasons. He is wanted by both the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for his role in the massive fraud. Meanwhile, his nephew Nirav Modi, also a key co-accused, is awaiting extradition from London.(This is a developing story)
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