U.K. Home Secretary Sent Nirav Modi’s Extradition Request To Court, ED Says

The United Kingdom’s home secretary has recently referred India's request for extraditing bank-fraud accused Nirav Modi to a court for initiating legal proceedings against the diamantaire, according to people in the know.

A British daily reported that Modi, accused in the $2-billion Punjab National Bank scam, is living in a swanky 8-million pound apartment in London’s West End and is now involved in a new diamond business.

Officials in the Enforcement Directorate said on condition of anonymity that they had been officially informed about U.K. Home Secretary Sajid Javid’s move to forward the case to a London court about two days ago.

This move takes the process of extraditing and bringing back Modi to face the law in India to the next stage, the people said.

The directorate also tweeted, “The U.K. Central Authority of Home Office has confirmed that the Extradition Request has been sent to the Westminster Magistrate Court for the District Judge for further proceedings.”

Soon, they said, a joint team of the ED and the CBI would travel to the U.K. to apprise the lawyers about the Indian case and evidence against Modi, in a similar fashion that was done in the case of another absconding bank-fraud accused, Vijay Mallya.

The ED and the CBI are investigating Modi, his uncle Mehul Choksi and others for alleged money laundering and corruption to perpetrate the scam in the Brady House branch of the PNB in Mumbai that was unearthed last year.

Taking All Steps For Extradition Of Nirav Modi: Ministry Of External Affairs

The Ministry of External Affairs also reacted on the issue of Modi's extradition, saying the U.K. was still considering India's request.

India is taking all steps necessary for his extradition, a ministry spokesperson said today.

The ministry also said the government was taking all steps to extradite Modi, from the U.K. It also said the U.K. was considering India's request to extradite Modi.

“The U.K. is still considering our request to extradite Nirav Modi. The government is taking all necessary steps for his extradition,” MEA Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said at a media briefing. He said India made the request for extradition to the U.K. knowing that Modi was living there.

Modi, 48, is currently living in a three-bedroom flat occupying half of a floor of the landmark Centre Point tower block, where rent is estimated to cost 17,000 pounds a month, The Telegraph reported.

The revelation comes a day after Modi’s 30,000 square feet seaside mansion at Kihim beach in Maharashtra’s Raigad district was demolished by authorities using explosives for alleged violation of coastal regulation rules.

Modi has been chargesheeted by both the agencies and the ED has also attached his assets worth crores under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.