Belgium

Belgium's Supreme Court to hear Mehul Choksi's extradition appeal on Dec 9

The case of fugitive diamond trader Mehul Choksi challenging his extradition will come up for hearing before Belgium's supreme court -- the Court of Cassation -- on December 9, officials said on Thursday. Choksi has challenged before Belgium's top court an October 17 ruling of the Antwerp Court of Appeal that upheld India's request for his extradition while terming it "enforceable". In response to queries by the PTI, Advocaat-generaal Henri Vanderlinden said the Court of Cassation will hear the case on December 9. The Court of Cassation only checks the decision of the court of appeal "on legal aspects" such as whether the court of appeal correctly applied the legal dispositions, and whether they follow the right procedure, he told PTI. "So, new facts or evidence cannot be placed," he said. "The proceedings are, in essence, a written one. As a rule, all cases are heard. If the court refuses to admit the appeal, it will be on legal grounds, for example, the person who filed the ...

Mehul Choksi moves Supreme Court of Belgium against extradition order

The development comes after the Court of Appeals in Antwerp, on October 17, rejected Choksi's argument that he may not receive a fair trial if extradited to India

Belgium urges EU partners to share risk of using frozen Russian assets

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever insisted on Thursday that his European partners must share the risk of using billions of dollars in frozen Russian assets that are held in his country to help keep Ukraine's economy and war effort afloat in the coming years. Ukraine's budget and military needs for 2026 and 2027 are estimated to total around USD 153 billion, and the European Union's executive branch has been developing a plan to use Russia's frozen assets as collateral to drum up funds. The biggest tranche of those assets some USD 225 billion worth is held in Belgium, and the Belgian government is wary of using the money without firm guarantees from other EU countries. If we want to give them to Ukraine, we have to do it all together, De Wever told reporters as he arrived for a summit with his EU counterparts in Brussels. If not, Russian retaliation might only hit Belgium. That's not very reasonable. We are a small country, and retaliation can be very hard. They might confiscat

Belgian Court finds offences extraditable, dismisses Choksi's bias claims

The judgment clarified that the alleged acts occurred in India between December 31, 2016, and January 1, 2019, and that prosecution is not time-barred under either Indian or Belgian law

Fugitive Mehul Choksi's bail plea rejected by Belgian court of appeal

The bail plea of fugitive diamonds trader Mehul Choksi, wanted in India in connection with over Rs 6300-crore fraud in the Punjab National Bank (PNB), has again been turned down by a court of appeal in Belgium, just ahead of his extradition hearing before a court in that country, officials said. The court rejected the appeal on strong reasons conveyed by the CBI to the Belgian prosecution that Choksi had escaped from many jurisdictions earlier as well to evade legal proceedings and may flee to another country if let out on bail, they said. Choksi was arrested in Belgium in April on the basis of an extradition request sent by the CBI, they said. His earlier bail application, heard by the Court of Cassation in Belgium, was also rejected, they said Choksi filed another bail application on August 22 and offered to be under house arrest -- under surveillance at home -- but the court of appeal rejected it earlier this week, they said. The arguments in the extradition case of 66-year-ol

Belgium's Tomorrowland stage destroyed in fire days before festival opening

A massive fire has gutted the iconic main stage of Belgium's Tomorrowland festival just days before opening, prompting an emergency response though no injuries were reported

Jaishankar congratulates Portugal FM on national day, eyes stronger ties

Currently, Jaishankar is on an official visit to France, the European Union (EU), and Belgium from June 8 to 14, 2025, the Ministry of External Affairs announced in a press release on Sunday

Volvo Cars to cut 3,000 jobs amid EV slump, high costs and tariff woes

In the first quarter, the auto maker had 43,500 full-time employees and 3,000 staffing agency personnel, according to its earnings report

Piyush Goyal meets Belgian Defence Minister, Minister-President of Flanders

According to a Ministry of Commerce and Industry release, this engagement follows HRH Princess Astrid of Belgium's March 2025 visit to India

India, Belgium discuss ways to boost bilateral trade, investments

India and Belgium have discussed ways to increase boost bilateral trade, foster industrial collaboration, and deepening investments in strategic sectors such as semiconductors, clean energy, defence production, and pharma, an official statement said on Sunday. The two sides also reviewed progress in EU-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations, with both parties recognising the need to address tariff and non-tariff barriers to enhance market access. These deliberations were held during the visit of Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal with Belgian Minister of Defence and Foreign Trade Theo Francken and Minister-President of the Flanders region Matthias Diependaele in Brussels on May 2. "The discussions highlighted growing economic synergies and focused on scaling bilateral trade, fostering industrial collaboration, and deepening investments in strategic sectors such as semiconductors, clean energy, defence production, and pharmaceuticals," the commerce ministry ...

Mehul Choksi alleges violation of natural justice, seeks fresh relief

Mehul Choksi, in his second plea before the Belgian court, has claimed that the process undertaken regarding his arrest is arbitrary and unlawful

India has moved extradition request for Mehul Choksi, confirms Belgium

The Belgian authorities said that Mehul Choksi is currently in custody as preparations for further judicial proceedings are underway

Will Mehul Choksi be extradited? What the India-Belgium Treaty says

With diamond businessman Mehul Choksi's arrest, all eyes turn to Belgium as India awaits greenlight on extradition

Mehul Choksi undergoing cancer treatment, to appeal against extradition

Mehul Choksi, 65, left India on January 2, 2018. He is wanted by the CBI and ED for allegedly cheating Punjab National Bank (PNB) out of ₹13,850 crore

Mehul Choksi held in Belgium: Timeline of events leading to his arrest

Fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi has been arrested in Belgium for his alleged involvement in the ₹13,850 crore PNB bank loan fraud case

Belgium closely monitoring Mehul Choksi case, says govt spokesperson

Earlier, Antigua & Barbuda's Foreign Minister, E.P. Chet Greene, addressed Choksi's status, clarifying that he had left the island for medical treatment abroad but remains a citizen of the country

PM Modi meets Belgium's Princess Astrid, discusses trade and tech ties

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday met Princess Astrid of Belgium and said he looks forward to "unlocking limitless opportunities" for the people of the two countries through new partnerships in trade, technology, defence and agriculture. Astrid is in India leading an economic mission that is aimed at shoring up bilateral trade and investment cooperation between the two nations. "Pleased to meet HRH Princess Astrid of Belgium. Deeply appreciate her initiative to lead a 300-member Economic Mission to India," Modi said on X. "Look forward to unlocking limitless opportunities for our people through new partnerships in trade, technology, defence, agriculture, life sciences, innovation, skilling and academic exchanges," the prime minister said. The overall trajectory of India-Belgium ties has witnessed a steady expansion in the last few years. The focus of the relations has traditionally been on trade and investment. India is Belgium's 14th largest export destination and the 16th

After EU talks, India explores defence industry ties with Belgium

Days after India and the EU pledged to explore a security and defence partnership, talks with Belgium in New Delhi focused on exploring an 'institutionalised defence cooperation mechanism'

Jaishankar meets Belgium's foreign minister Prevotat at Hyderabad House

He started his address by saying, of course, we have a historical connection here

PNB fraud case: Mehul Choksi in Belgium for cancer treatment, says lawyer

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 th