Indian fugitive jeweller Nirav Modi has filed a fresh appeal in a UK court seeking to delay his extradition to India, where he faces charges of defrauding Punjab National Bank (PNB) of Rs 6,498 crore, part of a larger Rs 13,578 crore scam linked to his uncle Mehul Choksi.
The Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London has agreed to hear the plea, which could push back his extradition, a move the Indian government plans to challenge. Nirav Modi has been lodged at Wandsworth Prison on the outskirts of London since March 19, 2019, after being arrested by Scotland Yard following India’s extradition request.
According to a report by Hindustan Times, Nirav Modi’s lawyers argued that “if extradited to India, he will be interrogated by multiple agencies and may face torture during such interrogation.”
A government official told the outlet that “Nirav Modi, through his legal team, filed an application before the Westminster court in the UK last month, seeking to reopen the appeal against his extradition to India. The court has accepted it and a notice has been served to the Indian government.”
In May, a UK court denied bail to Nirav Modi for the tenth time, noting his “very strong incentive” to avoid returning to India because of the seriousness of the charges.
While the court has yet to set a date for the hearing, Indian authorities are preparing to counter his claims. “We are preparing a detailed response, to be sent through proper diplomatic channels, rebutting his claims and urging the court to dismiss the application, since the extradition order had already attained finality in 2022,” another government official told HT.
The official added that the Indian government will also assure the court that, if extradited, Nirav Modi will be tried strictly under Indian law and “will not be subjected to interrogation by any agency.”
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