After nearly a two-year long legal battle, a UK Court on Thursday ordered the extradition of fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi to India quashing arguments about his mental health worsening and condition of Indian prisons.
Nirav Modi is wanted for fraud and money laundering in the ₹ 14,000-crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam.
“I am satisfied that Nirav Modi’s extradition to India is in compliance per human rights,” District Judge Samuel Goozee said, adding that he had the right to appeal the order.
Indicating that the case for Nirav Modi to face trial in India is strong, the judge said the links were clear how Nirav Modi connived with others including bank officials in fraudulently getting clearances for Letters of Undertaking that facilitated huge loan defaults.
“There is no evidence that if extradited Nirav Modi will not get justice,” the judge observed, agreeing with the submissions made by Indian government.
The judge said that the detention condition in India was satisfactory and that Barrack 12 was considered acceptable as place for detention. “Conditions in Barack 12 look far better than his current cell in London,” the court observed.
49-year-old Nirav Modi appeared via video conferencing from Wandsworth Prison in south-west London at the Westminster Magistrates’ Court.
“I do not accept that Nirav Modi was involved in legitimate business. I find no genuine transactions and believe there is a process of dishonesty,” the judge ruled.