What Is Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia That Fugitive Mehul Choksi Has Been Diagnosed With?

Fugitive Indian diamond merchant Mehul Choksi, accused of defrauding Punjab National Bank of Rs 13,500 crore, was arrested in Belgium on Monday and the process is underway to extradite him to India to face trial. The 66-year-old, who is at the center of one of India’s largest banking scams is reportedly undergoing treatment for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), a type of blood cancer . Here's all you need to know about the disease.

India gets chokehold on #MehulChoksi ! Nobody's going to escape, it's not a political case, we want to bring back Indian wealth: BJP's @DrDTayal Congress' @MahimaSingh7 : Why did MEA give Mehul Choksi a clean chit in 2017? #TheUrbanDebate #PNB | @shreyadhoundial pic.twitter.com/aiQpo9RW6h — Mirror Now (@MirrorNow) April 14, 2025 What is chronic lymphocytic leukemia? The CLL is a slow-progressing cancer of the blood and bone marrow.



This disease affects lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell crucial for fighting infections. In this condition, the bone marrow produces too many abnormal lymphocytes, which crowd out healthy blood cells, leading to issues like anemia, increased infection risk and easy bruising or bleeding. According to the American Cancer Society , CLL is one of the most common leukemias in adults, primarily affecting older individuals aged around 70.

Symptoms, which may develop gradually, include swollen lymph nodes, fatigue, frequent infections, unintentional weight loss, night sweats, and bruising. However, some patients remain asymptomatic for years, and the disease is often detected through routine blood tests. ALSO SEE: Fugitive Diamond Merchant Nirav Modi’s Company Has Only Rs 236 In Its Bank Account While CLL is considered incurable in most cases, treatments such as targeted therapies, immunotherapy, and chemotherapy can manage symptoms and slow progression.

According to The Mayo Clinic, many patients live for years with CLL, but the disease’s impact varies widely based on factors like age, overall health, and genetic markers. Choksi is currently undergoing treatment for the disease while in custody of the Belgian authorities. He was arrested after Indian agencies provided evidence of his fraud and requested to take him into custody based on arrest warrants issued against the Diamantaire in 2018 and 2021.

ALSO SEE: Indian Origin Ex-Billionaire Who Scammed Google-Goldman, Gaining $1 Billion In Fraud Sentenced In The US.