London [UK], March 26 (ANI): In a significant development in the high-profile extradition case of fugitive economic offender and diamond merchant Nirav Modi, the London High Court has refused to reopen proceedings against his extradition order in connection with the alleged Rs 13,800 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case.
The UK High Court of Justice, King’s Bench Division, Divisional Court, in a ruling delivered remotely on Wednesday, dismissed Modi’s claims that new evidence of potential torture and ill-treatment in India warranted reconsideration of his extradition.
Nirav Modi, who is accused in India of money laundering, has been in custody at HMP Wandsworth since his arrest on March 19, 2019. His extradition was initially ordered by the UK Home Secretary in 2021.
The latest application to reopen the appeal, filed on August 18, 2025, relied on the High Court’s earlier judgment in the Sanjay Bhandari case. Modi’s counsel argued that the ruling demonstrated a risk of torture and ill-treatment by authorities in India, which would be unacceptable if he were extradited.
However, the court found that it was “not necessary to reopen this appeal in order to avoid real injustice,” and that “the circumstances are not exceptional.”
The court’s decision was based on a series of “comprehensive, detailed and reliable” assurances provided by the Government of India. These assurances, culminating in a note verbale from the Indian High Commission dated February 12, 2026, stated that Modi’s extradition is sought solely for judicial trial in India.
Authorities also assured that he would not be interrogated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Enforcement Directorate (ED), or any other investigating agency. It was further stated that Modi would not be transferred from Mumbai’s Arthur Road Prison to any other facility in India, and that fully functional video conferencing facilities would be available for court appearances.
The judges stated they were “satisfied as to the good faith of the Government of India,” noting that the assurances were given with “every intention that they be binding” and not with an “eye to wriggling out of them.”
With this ruling, Nirav Modi’s legal avenues to challenge his extradition in the UK appear to be exhausted, paving the way for his return to India to face trial.
Earlier, in a separate alleged money laundering case, the Court of Cassation of Belgium dismissed an appeal by Mehul Choksi, Modi’s uncle, against extradition to India. The court termed the objections raised by the fugitive diamantaire as lacking substance and ruled that Choksi had failed to establish any legal or factual grounds warranting interference with earlier orders permitting his surrender. (ANI)
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