India likely to assure UK court of fair treatment as Nirav Modi seeks to reopen extradition case

“We have already filed the chargesheets in the case. His questioning is not needed as of now. Our investigation is almost complete and he is needed to face the trial. In case the court in the United Kingdom asks us, we may reiterate our assurance that he will not be subjected to any interrogation if extradited to India. We have given such assurance in the past as well,” an official said.

Modi and his uncle, Mehul Choksi, are wanted in the alleged Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case that they allegedly orchestrated through fraudulent Letters of Undertaking in connivance with some bank officials at the Brady House branch in Mumbai.

Modi was declared a fugitive economic offender by a Mumbai PMLA court in December 2019 and was arrested in London the same year.

Modi, who has exhausted all his legal appeals till the Supreme Court, had approached the Westminster Court with a plea to reopen his extradition trial, understood to be on the grounds that if extradited to India, he would be subjected to interrogation by multiple agencies, which may result in torture.

However, all the investigative agencies that are working on cases against Modi are on the same page that his interrogation is not needed.

India has already told the UK that Modi would be kept in Barrack No 12 of the Arthur Road jail in Mumbai, which has no threat of any violence, overcrowding, mistreatment and has a medical facility. He would face trial in accordance with Indian laws, and no fresh charges will be slapped on him, the agencies have assured the UK.

Modi is facing three sets of criminal proceedings – the CBI case of fraud involving the PNB, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) case relating to the alleged laundering of the proceeds of that fraud, and a third set of criminal proceedings involving alleged interference with evidence and witnesses in the CBI proceedings.

Last month, the ED had attached fresh assets worth Rs 29.75 crore of Modi under the anti-money laundering law. A provisional order was issued under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to attach these assets that are in the form of bank deposits, land, and buildings. The agency has attached assets worth Rs 2,596 crore in India and abroad in the case in the past.