UK Court to hear final arguments regarding Nirav Modi Extradition

UK Court to hear final arguments regarding Nirav Modi Extradition

 A United Kingdom Court (UK Court) will hear the arguments in Nirav Modi extradition case in January 2021

Nirav Modi is accused of a bank fraud of $2 billion at Punjab National Bank (PNB) and he has also been charged with intimidating witnesses and for tampering with evidence. He is subjected to two sets of criminal proceedings one with the CBI case that is based on the PNB fraud and another proceeding is under the ED relating to the laundering of the proceeds of that fraud.

He is also facing two additional charges of 'causing the disappearance of evidence' and intimidating witnesses or criminal intimidation to cause death added to the CBI case. Nirav Modi was arrested on 19 March 2019, on an extradition warrant executed by Scotland Yard, and his attempts at seeking bail have been repeatedly turned down.

In November 2020, the case was heard by Judge Goozee wherein the admissibility of certain witness statements was provided by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED). It was ruled that the evidence to establish a prima facie case of fraud and money laundering against Nirav Modi is admissible.

According to the reports, the District Judge Samuel Goozee will hear the final arguments in the Nirav Modi Extradition Case from both sides and then the UK Court shall deliver the final judgment in the case.

On behalf of the Indian authorities, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is arguing and they have stressed that the evidence, including witness statements under Section 161 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), meets the required inception for the UK court for determining the issue whether Nirav Modi has a case to answer before the Indian judicial system. However, Nirav Modi's Counsel is denying the claim of CPS.

Recently, Westminster Magistrates' Court had extended the remand of Nirav Modi till January 2021. Nirav Modi made an appearance before the court via videolink for the remand hearing. Since last year, Nirav Modi was behind bars at Wandsworth Prison in south-west London that was followed by an extradition request from India for him.

The CPS told the court that many employees of PNB have conspired with Modi to ensure the Loan Agreements were issued to his companies without ensuring the required credit checks and without recording the issuance of the agreements and did not charge the required commission upon the transactions.