MEA welcomes UK Court's dismissal of Nirav Modi's appeal against extradition to India

A day after fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi lost his appeal in a UK Court against extradition to India, the Ministry of External Affairs issued its first response on Thursday. Addressing the media, the spokesperson of the ministry Arindam Bagchi underlined how India has been vigorously pursuing the extradition of economic fugitives so that they face justice in India.

"We welcome the decision of the UK High Court. We want to bring him to India as soon as possible," Bagchi said while speaking about Nirav Modi, who is to face charges of fraud and money laundering. 

Pulling off one of the biggest bank frauds in the country, Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi created a complex web of deception through fraudulent Letters of Undertaking (LoUs) to siphon off Rs 14,000 crore from state-owned Punjab National Bank in connivance with some bank officials.

Nirav Modi's appeal against extradition to India dismissed

On February 25, 2021, the District Judge of Westminster Magistrates' Court handed down his decision and found that there were no bars on the extradition of Nirav Modi and the court had sent the case to the Secretary of State, UK On April 15, 2021, the Secretary of State ordered Nirav Modi's extradition to India.

Nirav Modi filed an application before the High Court of Justice, London seeking permission to appeal on multiple grounds. On August 9, 2021, the High Court of Justice, London gave Nirav Modi permission to appeal on the following two grounds which included his extradition would be incompatible with his convention rights under Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights, and it would be unjust or oppressive within the meaning of Section 91 of UK Extradition Act 2003 to extradite him by virtue of his physical and mental condition. All other grounds of appeal were rejected. 

During the Appeal hearing before the High Court of Justice, the Government of India filed several assurances and written submissions, besides the oral arguments made by the Senior Counsel of Crown Prosecution Service on its behalf. The appeal was heard on 14 December, 2021 and 28 June, 2022 and the final hearing was held on 11 and 12 October, 2022. During the final hearing, two psychiatric experts viz. Professor Andrew Forrester of Cardiff University, on behalf of the Appellant and Professor Seena Fazel of the University of Oxford, on behalf of the Government of India also gave evidence before the High Court of Justice, London.

On November 9, the High Court of Justice, King's Bench Division, handed down its judgment and dismissed the appeal filed by Nirav Modi. 

(With agency inputs)