Nirav Modi Remanded To Custody, UK Authorities Confirm His Extradition Trial Shall Start May 11

Fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi's was on Tuesday remanded in custody until 11 May, when his five-day trial will take place in a UK court.

Modi, fighting extradition to India on charges over the nearly $2 billion Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud and money laundering case, will stand the trial and looks to have finally run out of options to delay the extradition process.

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Reuters

According to PTI, the 49-year-old, who has been lodged at Wandsworth Prison in south-west London since his arrest last year, appeared before a UK court via videolink. He spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth during the hearing, which took place via tele-conference due to the COVID-19 related social distancing procedures in place across UK courts.

District Judge Samuel Goozee, who presided over the case management hearing, expressed some reservations about the extradition hearing going ahead next month as scheduled under the current lockdown.

Reuters

But it was agreed between all parties that a trial run of the court¡¯s CVP, or common viewing platform, will take place during a lawyers-only hearing on 7 May ahead of the final hearing.

"Some prisons are producing prisoners in person, so I will direct Wandsworth Prison to produce Modi in person for the trial from May 11. If that is not practicable, his participation by live link remains a backstop,¡± Judge Goozee concluded.

Nirav Modi is wanted in India for defrauding PNB of close to 2 billion USD and has been denied bail five times by UK courts.

Reuters

The Indian government had issued a fresh extradition request for Nirav Modi over two additional offences of ¡°causing disappearance of evidence¡± and intimidating witnesses.

This will be treated as a separate case and will not be heard on May 11. The fresh charges might be heard in a separate hearing in July as per the CPS.