PNB fraud case: Mehul Choksi in Belgium for suspected cancer treatment, his lawyer tells court

Mumbai: Fugitive diamond trader Mehul Choksi, the prime accused in the PNB loan fraud case, is currently in Belgium for medical treatment of suspected cancer, a special court here was told on Tuesday.

Advocate Vijay Agarwal, who appeared on behalf of Choksi, told the court that he wants to file an application to bring on record certain health issues of Choksi "who is at present in Belgium for medical treatment".

Agarwal informed the court that Choksi is suspected to be suffering from cancer.

A special PMLA court in Mumbai is hearing the Enforcement Directorate's plea to declare Choksi a fugitive economic offender (FEO).

The FEO declaration allows the government to initiate action to confiscate the offender's properties.

Choksi, his nephew and fugitive diamond trader Nirav Modi and their family members, employees, bank officials and others were booked by the Enforcement Directorate and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in 2018 for allegedly perpetrating the alleged loan fraud at the Brady House branch of Punjab National Bank in Mumbai.

Choksi has been staying in Antigua since 2018 after leaving India.

Nirav Modi was declared FEO in 2019, while the ED's plea against Choksi has been pending since 2018.

Choksi, his firm Gitanjali Gems, and others allegedly "committed the offence of cheating against PNB in connivance with certain bank officials by fraudulently getting the LoUs (letters of undertaking) issued and got the FLCs (foreign letter of credit) enhanced without following prescribed procedure".

The anti money-laundering agency filed three charge sheets against Choksi till now.

The ED in 2019 told the Bombay HC that Choksi was a "fugitive and absconder".