PNB fraud: Nirav Modi custody in UK extended till Feb 27

London: Fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi, who is wanted by Indian authorities in the Rs 13,500 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam appeared before a UK court on Thursday through videolink from his London prison and was further remanded in custody till February 27.

Nirav Modi, who was arrested from Holborn here on March 19 and is fighting extradition proceedings since then was called for routine “call-over” hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court which was presided over by Judge David Robinson, who told the businessman that his case is proceeding in accordance with the directions for a final hearing on May 11.

His extradition trial is scheduled for five days starting May 11, with the case management hearings in the case set to begin once all the evidence has been handed in to the court for the trial. The fugitive diamantaire will remain in judicial custody pending a full extradition trial scheduled and must appear for call-over hearings until the case management for the trial starts from May.

Nirav Modi was proclaimed by a special PMLA court as a ‘fugitive economic offender’ on December 5 last year. Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi of the Geetanjali Group are being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate and the Central Bureau of Investigation after the PNB alleged that they cheated it of Rs 13,500 crore with the involvement of some bank employees. The ED has filed a chargesheet against Choksi in a Prevention of Money Laundering Act Court in Mumbai.

India is currently making efforts to extradite Nirav Modi from the UK and his uncle Choksi from Antigua and Barbuda where he is now a citizen, to come and face the law here.

IANS