Justice Markandey Katju to depose in UK court against Nirav Modi's extradition

Former Supreme Court judge Justice Markandey Katju will depose as a witness in a UK court against diamond merchant Nirav Modi's extradition.

"I will be deposing tomorrow (through video conferencing) in a UK Court as a witness for Nirav Modi. But I would not be commenting on the merits of the case and will only say that he (Nirav) will not get justice in India," Justice Katju told The Economic Times.

Fugitive economic offender Nirav Modi is one the main accused in the estimated $2 billion Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud.

Justice Katju will depose as a defence witness on September 11, and will also be cross-examined by the Crown Prosecution Service.

Justice Katju, who is also a former Press Council of India Chairman, said Nirav Modi is unlikely to get a free and fair trial in India.

He said Nirav Modi has already been subjected to a media trial and declared guilty.

He also referred to Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad's comment on Nirav Modi. "How can a Law Minister declare anyone as a criminal? Only a Court of Law can do that. But the law minister is pronouncing judgments," Justice Katju said, as quoted by the paper.

Prasad, a senior BJP leader, had in May alleged that the Congress is trying to save Nirav Modi.

The statement was a reference to Abhay Thipsay, a former judge of Mumbai and Allahabad high courts, who deposed as a defence witness in the case. Thipsay joined the Congress in 2018.