After a UK court ruled in favour of fugitive businessman Nirav Modi's extradition to India, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday said the government will liaise with authorities in the UK for his early extradition.

The diamantaire, wanted in India on charges of fraud and money laundering in the estimated USD 2-billion Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam case, lost his legal battle against extradition on all grounds as District Judge Samuel Goozee also concluded that there are no human rights concerns that his medical needs would not be addressed as per several Indian government assurances.

Replying to a query during an online media briefing, MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said that since the Westminster Magistrate''s Court has recommended to the UK Home Secretary for Nirav Modi''s extradition, "the Government of India would liaise with the UK authorities for his early extradition to India."

On the request of the CBI and the ED, Modi''s extradition from the UK was sought in August 2018. He was arrested and produced before the Senior District Judge at Westminster Magistrate''s court on March 20, 2019.

Since then he is facing extradition proceedings while in judicial custody.

The final hearing in this case was held on January 7-8, 2021, while the Westminster Magistrate''s Court in London earlier in the day pronounced that he be extradited to India to stand trial.

"Dismissing the mental health concerns raised by Nirav Modi, the judge observed that Nirav Modi conspired to destroy evidence and intimidate witnesses," Srivastava said.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

After a UK court ruled in favour of fugitive businessman Nirav Modi's extradition to India, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday said the government will liaise with authorities in the UK for his early extradition.

After a UK court ruled in favour of fugitive businessman Nirav Modi's extradition to India, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday said the government will liaise with authorities in the UK for his early extradition. The diamantaire, wanted in India on charges of fraud and money laundering in the estimated USD 2-billion Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam case, lost his legal battle against extradition on all grounds as District Judge Samuel Goozee also concluded that there are no human rights concerns that his medical needs would not be addressed as per several Indian government assurances. Replying to a query during an online media briefing, MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said that since the Westminster Magistrate''s Court has recommended to the UK Home Secretary for Nirav Modi''s extradition, "the Government of India would liaise with the UK authorities for his early extradition to India." On the request of the CBI and the ED, Modi''s extradition from the UK was sought in August 2018. He was arrested and produced before the Senior District Judge at Westminster Magistrate''s court on March 20, 2019. Since then he is facing extradition proceedings while in judicial custody. The final hearing in this case was held on January 7-8, 2021, while the Westminster Magistrate''s Court in London earlier in the day pronounced that he be extradited to India to stand trial. "Dismissing the mental health concerns raised by Nirav Modi, the judge observed that Nirav Modi conspired to destroy evidence and intimidate witnesses," Srivastava said. (With inputs from agencies)

PNB scam case: India will liaise with UK for Nirav Modi's early extradition, says MEA

Fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi will be extradited to India to stand trial, UK extradition judge ordered on Thursday.

UK Extradition judge ruled that Nirav Modi has a case to answer for in India.

Nirav Modi was arrested on an extradition warrant on March 19, 2019, and has appeared via videolink from Wandsworth Prison for a series of court hearings in the extradition case. His multiple attempts at seeking bail have been repeatedly turned down, both at the Magistrates' and High Court level, as he was deemed a flight risk.

He is the subject of two sets of criminal proceedings, with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) case relating to a large-scale fraud upon PNB through the fraudulent obtaining of letters of undertaking (LoUs) or loan agreements, and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) case relating to the laundering of the proceeds of that fraud.

He also faces two additional charges of "causing the disappearance of evidence" and intimidating witnesses or "criminal intimidation to cause death, which were added on to the CBI case.

At the heart of the scheme is a conspiracy between Modi and several members of staff at PNB to siphon money out of the bank using `Letters of Undertaking`, a bank guarantee which allows a bank`s customers to raise money from the foreign branches of other Indian banks as a form of short term credit.

(With inputs from agencies)

Fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi will be extradited to India to stand trial, UK extradition judge ordered on Thursday. UK Extradition judge ruled that Nirav Modi has a case to answer for in India.

Fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi will be extradited to India to stand trial, UK extradition judge ordered on Thursday. UK Extradition judge ruled that Nirav Modi has a case to answer for in India. Nirav Modi was arrested on an extradition warrant on March 19, 2019, and has appeared via videolink from Wandsworth Prison for a series of court hearings in the extradition case. His multiple attempts at seeking bail have been repeatedly turned down, both at the Magistrates' and High Court level, as he was deemed a flight risk. He is the subject of two sets of criminal proceedings, with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) case relating to a large-scale fraud upon PNB through the fraudulent obtaining of letters of undertaking (LoUs) or loan agreements, and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) case relating to the laundering of the proceeds of that fraud. He also faces two additional charges of "causing the disappearance of evidence" and intimidating witnesses or "criminal intimidation to cause death, which were added on to the CBI case. At the heart of the scheme is a conspiracy between Modi and several members of staff at PNB to siphon money out of the bank using `Letters of Undertaking`, a bank guarantee which allows a bank`s customers to raise money from the foreign branches of other Indian banks as a form of short term credit. (With inputs from agencies)

PNB scam case: Nirav Modi to be extradited to India, loses case in UK court

Fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi, wanted in connection with the estimated USD 2-billion Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam case, was on Tuesday further remanded in custody until January 7 by a UK court hearing his extradition case.

The 49-year-old businessman, who has been behind bars at Wandsworth Prison in south-west London since his arrest last year following India's extradition request for him, appeared via videolink for a routine 28-day remand hearing on Tuesday before Westminster Magistrates' Court in London.

The final hearings in the extradition case are scheduled over two days, on January 7 and 8 next year, when District Judge Samuel Goozee is scheduled to hear closing arguments from both sides before he hands down his judgment a few weeks later.

At the last full hearing in the case in November, Judge Goozee heard the arguments for and against the admissibility of certain witness statements provided by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) and ruled that the evidence to establish a prima facie case of fraud and money laundering against the fugitive diamantaire is broadly admissible.

He concluded that he considered himself "bound" by the previous UK court rulings in the extradition case of former Kingfisher Airlines chief Vijay Mallya.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), arguing on behalf of the Indian authorities, had stressed that the evidence, including witness statements under Section 161 of the Indian Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), meets the required threshold for the UK court to determine whether Modi has a case to answer before the Indian judicial system.

"The argument that this is a very specific case, distinguishable from Mallya is frankly nonsense," said CPS barrister Helen Malcolm.

That Mallya has a case to answer in India in his fraud and money laundering case has cleared various levels of the UK judicial system and is currently undergoing a "confidential" legal issue before UK Home Secretary Priti Patel can consider signing off on his extradition.

Modi's barrister, Clare Montgomery, who was also the defence counsel in Mallya's case, however, disputed that the Section 161 witness statements qualify as similar.

"The government of India case is not as strong as it was in Mallya," said Montgomery, as she also raised a specific issue over a witness who was said to speak no English in his testimony for the CBI but signed a statement in English for the ED.

Modi is the subject of two sets of criminal proceedings, with the CBI case relating to a large-scale fraud upon PNB through the fraudulent obtaining of "Letters of Understanding" (LoUs or loan agreements), and the ED case relating to the laundering of the proceeds of that fraud.

He also faces two additional charges of "causing the disappearance of evidence" and intimidating witnesses or criminal intimidation to cause death added to the CBI case.

The jeweller has been in prison since he was arrested on March 19, 2019, on an extradition warrant executed by Scotland Yard and his attempts at seeking bail have been repeatedly turned down.

The charges against him centre around his firms Diamonds R Us, Solar Exports and Stellar Diamonds making fraudulent use of a credit facility offered by PNB or LoUs.

The CPS, on behalf of India, have told the court during the course of two separate set of hearings in May and September that a number of PNB staff conspired with Modi to ensure the LoUs were issued to his companies without ensuring they were subject to the required credit check, without recording the issuance of the LoUs and without charging the required commission upon the transactions.

Modi's defence team has sought to counter allegations of fraud by deposing witnesses to establish the volatility of the gems and jewellery trade and that the LoUs were standard practice.

His severe depression has also been raised as part of the arguments against extradition.

Fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi, wanted in connection with the estimated USD 2-billion Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam case, was on Tuesday further remanded in custody until January 7 by a UK court hearing his extradition case.

Fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi, wanted in connection with the estimated USD 2-billion Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam case, was on Tuesday further remanded in custody until January 7 by a UK court hearing his extradition case. The 49-year-old businessman, who has been behind bars at Wandsworth Prison in south-west London since his arrest last year following India's extradition request for him, appeared via videolink for a routine 28-day remand hearing on Tuesday before Westminster Magistrates' Court in London. The final hearings in the extradition case are scheduled over two days, on January 7 and 8 next year, when District Judge Samuel Goozee is scheduled to hear closing arguments from both sides before he hands down his judgment a few weeks later. At the last full hearing in the case in November, Judge Goozee heard the arguments for and against the admissibility of certain witness statements provided by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) and ruled that the evidence to establish a prima facie case of fraud and money laundering against the fugitive diamantaire is broadly admissible. He concluded that he considered himself "bound" by the previous UK court rulings in the extradition case of former Kingfisher Airlines chief Vijay Mallya. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), arguing on behalf of the Indian authorities, had stressed that the evidence, including witness statements under Section 161 of the Indian Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), meets the required threshold for the UK court to determine whether Modi has a case to answer before the Indian judicial system. "The argument that this is a very specific case, distinguishable from Mallya is frankly nonsense," said CPS barrister Helen Malcolm. That Mallya has a case to answer in India in his fraud and money laundering case has cleared various levels of the UK judicial system and is currently undergoing a "confidential" legal issue before UK Home Secretary Priti Patel can consider signing off on his extradition. Modi's barrister, Clare Montgomery, who was also the defence counsel in Mallya's case, however, disputed that the Section 161 witness statements qualify as similar. "The government of India case is not as strong as it was in Mallya," said Montgomery, as she also raised a specific issue over a witness who was said to speak no English in his testimony for the CBI but signed a statement in English for the ED. Modi is the subject of two sets of criminal proceedings, with the CBI case relating to a large-scale fraud upon PNB through the fraudulent obtaining of "Letters of Understanding" (LoUs or loan agreements), and the ED case relating to the laundering of the proceeds of that fraud. He also faces two additional charges of "causing the disappearance of evidence" and intimidating witnesses or criminal intimidation to cause death added to the CBI case. The jeweller has been in prison since he was arrested on March 19, 2019, on an extradition warrant executed by Scotland Yard and his attempts at seeking bail have been repeatedly turned down. The charges against him centre around his firms Diamonds R Us, Solar Exports and Stellar Diamonds making fraudulent use of a credit facility offered by PNB or LoUs. The CPS, on behalf of India, have told the court during the course of two separate set of hearings in May and September that a number of PNB staff conspired with Modi to ensure the LoUs were issued to his companies without ensuring they were subject to the required credit check, without recording the issuance of the LoUs and without charging the required commission upon the transactions. Modi's defence team has sought to counter allegations of fraud by deposing witnesses to establish the volatility of the gems and jewellery trade and that the LoUs were standard practice. His severe depression has also been raised as part of the arguments against extradition.

PNB scam case: UK court extends diamond fugitive Nirav Modi's remand till January 7

Speaking to a local newspaper, Antigua PM Gaston Browne has confirmed Mehul Choksi's citizenship will be revoked. Choksi along with Nirav Modi is the main accused in the Rs 11, 400 crore PNB scam. Browne said that Choksi's Antigua and Barbuda citizenship will be revoked soon. “His citizenship was processed; he got through but the reality is his citizenship will be revoked and he will be repatriated to India; so there is recourse. It’s not a case that we are trying to provide any safe harbor for criminals, for those who are involved in financial crimes,” the prime minister was quoted as saying.

PNB scam: Mehul Choksi's citizenship to be revoked, confirms PM of Antigua and Barbuda

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PNB scam case: India will liaise with UK for Nirav Modi's early extradition, says MEA

PNB scam case: Nirav Modi to be extradited to India, loses case in UK court

PNB scam case: UK court extends diamond fugitive Nirav Modi's remand till January 7

PNB scam: Mehul Choksi's citizenship to be revoked, confirms PM of Antigua and Barbuda