Nirav Modi seeks permission to appeal UK High Court extradition order in Supreme Court

By

Isabelle Crossley

Published
Nov 24, 2022

Jewellery tycoon accused of fraud Nirav Modi has sought permission from the UK High Court to appeal its decision to allow for his extradition to India to stand trial. Modi hopes to appeal the decision in the UK’s Supreme Court. 

On November 23, the UK High Court’s administrative court confirmed to the Times of India that Nirav Modi had submitted an application to request permission to appeal the dismissal of his prior appeal against extradition. Modi requested for points of law of general public importance to be certified, which he needs in order to take his appeal to the Supreme Court, TNN reported. 
 
Indian authorities will now need to respond to Modi’s application and the UK court is expected to make a decision within a month’s time. Modi is contesting the UK Court’s decision to extradite him on a number of grounds including his own mental health. 

Modi is accused along with his uncle Mehul Choksi of orchestrating one of the largest scale frauds in Indian banking history. Through his eponymous jewellery brand and other businesses including Firestar Diamonds, Modi is accused of defrauding banks including the Pubjab National Bank out of over Rs 7,000 crore as well as destroying evidence in the case and intimidating witnesses.
 
Modi has maintained his innocence throughout the official proceedings to date, as has his uncle Choksi, who the Indian government is also working to extradite. Choksi was the promoter for Gitanjali Gems and is believed to be residing in Antigua where he has taken citizenship.