Nirav Modi’s extradition trial set for May 2020

By

Isabelle Crossley

Published
Aug 23, 2019

Lawyers on both sides agreed to the week beginning May 11, 2020, as the date to begin accused jeweller Nirav Modi’s UK extradition trial at a Westminster magistrates’ court hearing in London, UK, on Thursday. 

“We were asked at the last hearing to agree a date for the hearing in May 2020,” said Modi’s lawyer Jessica Jones of Matrix Chambers at the hearing, as reported by TNN. “We emailed the court with the date of the week commencing May 11, 2020 but we have not had any confirmation that it has been listed. We have also proposed a case management hearing in February.”

After hearing counsel from both sides, district judge Tanweer Ikram then told Modi over video link that, “we can’t make any progress in this case but we are going to try and have the trial listed in May next year.” The dates will be subsequently be listed in the court schedule. 

Modi will remain in Wandsworth prison outside of London, UK, and is next scheduled to appear in court via a video-link for his upcoming case management hearing on September 19. Modi has applied for bail multiple times but has been consistently denied it as he is seen as a flight risk. 

Modi stands accused along with his Uncle Mehul Choksi of defrauding the Punjab National Bank to the tune of around Rs 13,500 crore ($2 billion). While Modi remains in a UK jail, Choksi is believed to be residing in Antigua and India’s Enforcement Directorate are also trying to secure his extradition to India to stand trial.