Fugitive diamond trader Mehul Choksi, a prime accused in the ₹13,500 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam case, was arrested by Belgian police in a coordinated operation with Indian agencies recently. Choksi, the ex-chairman of Gitanjali Group, was purportedly trying to escape to Switzerland under the ruse of undergoing medical treatment. His detention is a significant milestone in a seven-year-long hunt across three nations by Indian agencies.
One of the most sensational among the many twists in the Choksi story was his honey-trapping and kidnapping claim in 2021—reportedly involving a Hungarian woman, Barbara Jabarika.
Choksi fled India in 2018 and settled in Antigua and Barbuda, where he became a citizen through an investment program. He remained out of reach until May 2021, when he was arrested in Dominica for illegal entry. That’s when the story involving Barbara Jabarika surfaced.
According to Choksi, Barbara befriended him under false pretences in 2020. He claimed she invited him to dinner, during which he was allegedly abducted, beaten, and taken by boat from Antigua to Dominica. Choksi and his wife, Priti, alleged that Barbara was part of a larger honey-trap and abduction conspiracy.
Barbara, however, denied all allegations. Identifying herself as a property investment agent from Bulgaria—not Hungary—Barbara’s LinkedIn profile describes her as an experienced sales negotiator with over a decade in real estate and retail. She dismissed the claims that she was Choksi’s girlfriend or involved in any plot against him. She also claimed that Choksi had introduced himself as “Raj” and that it was he who initiated contact.
Barbara stated she had her own income, business, and did not require any favors from Choksi, including money, hotel bookings, or jewellery.
Also Read: Partap Singh Bajwa’s ‘50 Bombs’ Warning Blows Up Into Full-Scale Congress-AAP Showdown
At this point, Choksi’s extradition back to India is still in the air. Former diplomat KP Fabian has pointed out that India can ask for his extradition, but the decisions rests with administrations in Belgium. Mehul Choksi will more than likely contest the extradition in court, which of course, could take quite some time – something we have seen in a number of previous high-profile cases.
