Nirav Modi's extradition appeal begins in UK

By

Isabelle Crossley

Published
Dec 15, 2021

The UK High Court has begun the case for jewellery tycoon Nirav Modi’s appeal against the UK court’s previous ruling to extradite him to India to stand trial for alleged fraud at the Punjab National Bank. 

On December 14, the UK High Court in London opened Modi’s extradition appeal case, Asian News International reported. Modi lost his extradition case earlier in the year as the court ruled that there is sufficient evidence to send him back to India to stand trial for his alleged part in the PNB fraud case which totals over Rs 14,000 ($2.1 billion). 
 
In August, Modi was granted the right to appeal the extradition ruling on the grounds that returning to India would severely affect his mental health. Modi’s lawyers argued that returning to India would put him at high risk of suicide due to what they describe as his ‘severe depression’. The lawyers have argued that Modi would not receive sufficient mental health support if he was sent to jail in India to await his trial there. 

Indian authorities have told the UK High Court that Modi would be held in Arthur Road jail in Mumbai upon extradition. Although Indian authorities argue that the jail meets human rights standards, Modi’s legal team have disagreed. Modi is currently being held in Wandsworth Prison outside London where he has resided since his arrest in March 2019.