Fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi has filed an application to reopen his extradition case in London and this time he has presented the expert opinion of former Supreme Court of India judge Justice Deepak Verma in his support.
According to sources, Justice Verma in his opinion has supported Nirav Modi’s contention that if extradited to India, he may face questioning by multiple agencies and will not get a fair trial in the Indian judicial system.
A senior official said, “The expert witnesses presented on behalf of Nirav Modi have raised questions on the Indian prisons and judicial system so that the fugitive could be saved.”
Who is Justice Deepak Verma?
Justice Deepak Verma has also been the Chief Justice of Rajasthan High Court. Earlier, Vijay had also appeared as an expert witness in the British court in Mallya’s bankruptcy case. In that case, Mallya had to face defeat in the court in favor of the Indian banks (SBI-led consortium) in April this year. Justice Verma declined to comment this time, saying, “I do not comment on ongoing cases.”
India sent ‘letter of assurance’ to Britain
Westminster Court had accepted Nirav Modi’s rehearing petition in August this year. Now the hearing of this case has been fixed on 23 November. The Government of India has demanded to dismiss this petition and has sent a ‘Letter of Assurance’ to Britain. It said Modi would only face trial if brought to India and would not be interrogated or detained by any other agency. India’s stand is clear that the extradition of Nirav Modi has already reached the final stage.
Another official said, “We will strongly oppose this expert testimony. This is Nirav Modi’s last attempt to save himself as he has no legal recourse left.”
13,578 crore scam
Nirav Modi is accused of fraud of Rs 6,498 crore from Punjab National Bank (PNB). This is part of a bigger scam of Rs 13,578 crore, in which his maternal uncle Mehul Choksi is also accused of defrauding him of Rs 7,000 crore. Since March 19, 2019, Nirav Modi is lodged in Wandsworth Jail in London. He was arrested by Scotland Yard on an extradition request from India.
On 25 February 2021, Westminster Magistrates Court Judge Sam Goose ordered Modi’s extradition. This order was also upheld by the British High Court on 9 November 2022 and closed its legal path by not allowing appeal in the Supreme Court.
Earlier in the extradition case, Nirav Modi had used the expert testimony of another former judge Justice Markandey Katju. However, Judge Sam Goose wrote in his decision, “I attach little importance to Justice Katju’s opinion. His testimony lacked objectivity and seemed influenced by his personal agenda.”
Let us tell you that Nirav Modi has been declared a Fugitive Economic Offender (FEO). The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has seized assets worth Rs 2,598 crore, while an amount of Rs 981 crore has been returned to the banks. The Indian government is also engaged in the process of bringing foreign assets worth Rs 130 crore present in Britain to India.