A UK court on Thursday ordered fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi to be extradited to India to stand trial, stating that he has a case to answer in India.
A district judge at the Westminster Magistrates’ Court ruled that Nirav Modi will not be denied justice if he is extradited to India, adding that the diamond dealer conspired to destroy evidence and intimidate witnesses.
On Nirav Modi’s defence claims that he suffers from severe depression, the court ruled that such symptoms not unusual for a man in his circumstances. The UK judge also ruled that Barrack 12 at Arthur Road jail is fit for Nirav Modi.
Furthermore, the UK judge also dismissed Modi's defence claims that the justice Minister of Law and Justice Ravi Shankar Prasad tried to influence the case against the billionaire.
The UK extradition judge will send an order to extradite Nirav Modi to UK Home Secretary who will now decide the billionaire's fate. Modi is expected to appeal the decision in the High Court.
Nirav Modi is accused of defrauding PNB through the use of fraudulent loan agreements to the tune of USD 2 billion. He is also facing charges of money laundering, destruction of evidence, and witness intimidation.
(With inputs from PTI)
