Kareena Eugene
The approval of extradition of fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi, wanted in India on charges of fraud and money laundering in Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam case, was granted by the Home Ministry of UK. On the 25th of February, a UK Court ruled in favour of extradition of Nirav Modi.
However, Modi still has the option of challenging his extradition in a Higher Court to India. Nirav Modi has 14 days to file an application for leave to appeal to the Higher Court.
Modi can seek to leave to appeal against the decisions of both the Home Secretary and the District Judge.
In February, the Westminster Court ruled that Modi has no case to answer in the Indian Court and also that there is no evidence to suggest that he will not receive a fair trial in India.
As District Judge Samuel Goozee also concluded that, there were no human rights concern that Modi’s medical need would not be addressed as per several Indian Government assurances, Modi lost his almost a two-year-long legal battle against extradition on all grounds.
With a CBI case relating to a large-scale fraud upon PNB through fraudulently obtaining LoU’s or loan agreements and the ED case relating to the laundering of the proceeds of fraud, Modi is subject to two sets of criminal proceedings.
He is also facing two additional charges of “causing the disappearance of evidence” and, intimidating witnesses or criminal intimidation to cause death.
The jeweller arrested on 19th May 2019, has been in prison ever since his arrest on extradition warrant executed by Scotland Yard, and his attempts on seeking bail were turned down repeatedly.
Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai has a special jail kept ready for him.
The Jail Official said that, ‘once Nirav Modi is brought to Mumbai, he will be kept in one of the three cells of barrack number 12, which is a high security barrack