UK court sent fugitive diamond trader Nirav Modi in custody till July 9

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London, PTI Fugitive diamond trader Nirav Modi, accused in the Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud and money laundering case, was remanded in custody by a UK court till 9 July on Thursday. He has been lodged in Wandsworth Prison in south-west London since his arrest in March last year. He appeared via video link for a hearing at Westminster Magistrate Court in London. India has requested Britain to extradite the 49-year-old jeweler.

District Judge Samuel Gooji told Nirav, the next stage of hearing on your extradition will be on September 7. Nirav was given the opportunity to speak only to ensure name and nationality. Last month, Judge Gooji presided over the first part of the extradition hearing. The second part of the hearing has been scheduled from September 7. This hearing will last for five days.

On 14 May, on the last day of the four-day hearing, the judge told Nirav, “I hope that by September the current restrictions on movement from jails will be relaxed and you will be able to come to court to participate in the proceedings.” It is known that the ED has filed a lawsuit against Nirav and Mehul under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (law against taking money abroad illegally). Both businessmen have scammed Punjab National Bank of about 14 thousand crores. Both businessmen fled India after the scandal.

Nirav Modi was arrested by the British Police in London in March 2019 and is currently lodged in the jail there. Investigating agencies are moving the extradition process to bring him to India, while Mehul Choksi is absconding. He is reported to be in the African country of Antigua. The Indian government is making diplomatic efforts to bring it as well. Just yesterday, Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials came to Mumbai from Hong Kong with 2,300 kilograms of diamonds, gems and jewelery seized from their firms in cases related to the scam of Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi.