Nirav Modi’s UK High Court bail plea denied

By

Isabelle Crossley

Published
Jun 12, 2019

The UK High Court ruled to deny accused jewellery tycoon Nirav Modi’s appeal for bail on June 12. Modi had made an appeal to the court after his bail plea was rejected three times by Westminster Magistrates court. 

At the Royal Courts of Justice in London, UK, judge Ingrid Simler ruled that Modi will not be granted bail as there are significant grounds to believe that he would fail to surrender for his upcoming extradition hearing. The judge also believed there was a chance that Modi would seek to obstruct the course of justice while on bail as he was previously accused of intimidating witnesses, the Press Trust of India reported.

Modi is currently being held in Wandsworth Prison in the UK and has been since he was arrested in London on March 19 by UK police on behalf of Indian authorities.

Modi had made three bail pleas to Westminster Magistrates Court, the maximum number of pleas allowed under UK law. All were denied. Modi then took the case to the High Court but he was met with the same decision. 

Modi is accused of playing one of the key roles in the Rs 13,500 crore ($2 billion) fraud at the Punjab National Bank along with his Uncle and fellow jeweller Mehul Choksi. Indian authorities hope to extradite Modi to stand trial for the alleged fraud in India and recently prepared a cell in Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai where Modi will be held if he is extradited.