Belgium’s supreme court — the Court of Cassation — on Tuesday rejected the appeal of fugitive diamond trader Mehul Choksi challenging the extradition request of India in connection with the Rs 13,000-crore alleged bank fraud in Punjab National Bank, authorities in that country said.

Choksi, who escaped to Antigua and Barbuda in January 2018, days before the scam was detected, was spotted in Belgium, where he had purportedly sought treatment. India had sent an extradition request to Belgium on August 27, 2024, based on arrest warrants issued by a special court in Mumbai.

A spokesperson for Court of Cassation said, “The court rejected the appeal. So, the decision of the Court of Appeal stands.” The process of his extradition will begin now, officials said.

The Antwerp Court of Appeal had

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