The government on Friday reiterated its firm resolve to bring back fugitive businessman Nirav Modi from the United Kingdom, with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirming that it remains in regular contact with British authorities as legal proceedings continue.
Addressing a media briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the extradition process is currently underway in UK courts.
“We have been in touch with the UK side on the extradition request. We understand that legal proceedings in this particular matter are currently underway. But the Government of India remains fully committed to ensuring that fugitives are brought back to India to face the law of the land,” he said.
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The remarks follow a recent setback for Modi in the UK, where the High Court in London declined to reopen his challenge against the extradition order linked to the Rs 13,800-crore Punjab National Bank fraud case.
The court rejected his plea citing alleged risks of torture or ill-treatment in India, observing that the circumstances did not warrant reconsideration.
It also noted that there was no “real injustice” in allowing the extradition process to proceed.
The ruling was based in part on a set of detailed assurances provided by the Indian government, including that Modi would be extradited strictly for trial, not subjected to custodial interrogation by agencies such as the CBI or ED, and would remain lodged at Mumbai's Arthur Road Jail with access to video conferencing for court proceedings.
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Judges expressed confidence in the assurances, stating they were given in “good faith” and intended to be binding.
Modi, who was arrested in the UK in March 2019, has been in custody since and was earlier ordered to be extradited by the UK Home Secretary in 2021.
With the latest ruling, his options to challenge extradition appear to have narrowed significantly.
The development comes alongside progress in a related case involving Mehul Choksi, whose appeal against extradition to India was recently dismissed by a Belgian court.
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