UK Court clears extradition of fugitive Nirav Modi to India

In a giant victory for the Indian authorities, UK High Court has ordered the extradition of fugitive Nirav Modi to India. The High Court rejected diamond service provider Nirav Modi’s petition in opposition to his extradition, paving the way in which to convey him again to India. A bench of Lord Justice Jeremy Stuart-Smith and Justice Robert Jay delivered the decision. Nirav Modi is needed in India for the $2 billion within the Punjab National Bank (PNB) mortgage rip-off case.

The High Court had reserved its judgement final month after listening to the arguments. In his argument Nirav Modi had claimed that his despair would worsen if he’s despatched to the “hostile environment of India”. He had mentioned that politicians have demonised him by prejudging his guilt, and the general public and the press even have already declared him responsible.

Modi had additionally alleged that the situation of jails in India isn’t good, the identical argument utilized by Vijay Mallya in his extradition case. However, the court docket had already indicated that the enchantment could also be rejected, as Justice Robert Jay had mentioned that India is a “friendly foreign power and we have to honour our treaty obligations”.

The court docket had additionally mentioned that it’s going to think about the assurances given by the Indian authorities, rejecting 51-year-old Nirav Modi’s declare that the assurances aren’t adequate. The Indian authorities in its argument within the court docket had given detailed assurances on a good trial that Modi will face within the nation. The govt has additionally assured each day go to by attorneys and his well being check-up and remedy by a multidisciplinary medical crew together with non-public docs.

Nirav Modi is at the moment lodged at Wandsworth jail in south-east London, and he had approached the High Court difficult the order of Westminster Magistrates’ Court in February this 12 months ordering his extradition to India. He was allowed to enchantment the judgement on two grounds, underneath Article 3 of the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) to listen to arguments if it might “unjust or oppressive” to extradite him resulting from his psychological state, and Section 91 of the Extradition Act 2003 of the UK, which is said to psychological sick well being.

Nirav Modi faces a CBI case in India for the big scale fraud performed on Punjab National Bank utilizing fraudulent letters of enterprise (LoUs), and he additionally faces an ED case for laundering of cash obtained by that fraud.