Snehal Upadhyay-
High Court of London was notified in an extradition appeal, that Nirav Modi faced a “substantial risk” of suicide due to the “overwhelming” impact of COVID-19 at Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai, where he will be imprisoned after being extradited.
Justice Martin Chamberlain reversed his judgement on whether Nirav Modi should be granted permission to appeal against his extradition ordered by District Judge Sam Goozee.
Helen Malcolm, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) barrister representing the Indian authorities, argued that the permission must not be granted and contended that the expert evidence on Nirav Modi’s mental health is not disputed and the government of India assures him that India has an adequate medical care setup.
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“Such a high level of diplomatic assurance has never been breached,” she said, a point also asserted by the counsel appearing on behalf of the UK Home Secretary.
Nirav Modi’s lawyer, Fitzgerald stated that the District Court was wrong in holding that there was nothing wrong with the mental condition of Nirav Modi.
“In my opinion, Nirav Modi should now be considered at substantial, albeit not immediate, risk of suicide,” stated in Forrester’s assessment on his report dated August 27, 2020.
The lawyers had submitted fresh pieces of evidence which claimed on the healthcare system in the outbreak of COVID-19 has impacted and deteriorated Nirav Modi’s mental health.