New Delhi [India], April 15 (ANI): Following the arrest of fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi in Belgium, senior Congress leader TS Singh Deo asserted that individuals taking refuge abroad after committing crimes in India must be brought back to the country to face justice.
Emphasizing the need for accountability, Congress leader said that such offenders should not be allowed to evade the law under the protection of foreign jurisdictions.
“Those who have committed crimes in India and are getting protection in other countries should be extradited to India,” the former Chhattisgarh Deputy CM said.
Earlier, former CBI Director AP Singh said that the Indian authorities are now tasked with presenting concrete evidence and ensuring that Belgian courts are satisfied with India’s prison conditions and commitment to a fair trial.
Speaking to ANI, Singh recalled that the last person extradited from the European Union was Abu Salem 20 years ago.
“Mehul Choksi has been arrested on the request of the Indian government. Now we have to give all the evidence of him scamming the PNB. The legal process will take time. Choksi, in his defence, can say that he has some legal status in Belgium since his wife is a Belgian citizen. We will have to convince the Belgian government and courts that he will be looked after and that his medical condition will be addressed. We will have to convince them that our prison conditions are good and that we will give him a fair trial. Getting somebody from the EU is the toughest. The last person extradited from the EU was Abu Salem 20 years ago,” AP Singh said.
Meanwhile, the Belgian Federal Public Service of Justice on Monday confirmed that fugitive Indian businessman Mehul Choksi was arrested on April 12 and is currently being held in detention. The Belgian authorities stated that India had also introduced a request for his extradition.
“Finally, the Belgian federal public service of Justice can confirm that the Indian authorities have introduced an extradition request for Mr. Choksi. As is standard in individual cases, no further details can be released at this stage,” they said.
The 65-year-old fugitive diamond merchant who fled India on January 2, 2018, is wanted by the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for allegedly defrauding the Punjab National Bank (PNB) of Rs 13,850 crore. His nephew, Nirav Modi, was also involved with him in the fraud. (ANI)
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