A court in London on Wednesday dismissed the petition of diamond merchant Nirav Modi to reopen the proceedings against the extradition order to India, marking another step towards his return to face charges in the alleged Rs 6,498‑crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case.
Nirav Modi was arrested on March 19, 2019, and has been in a UK prison since March 20 that year. He had applied to reopen his appeal against extradition, citing concerns about potential ill-treatment in India and questioning whether assurances given by Indian authorities were sufficient to protect his rights.
We explain what happened after his arrest, how the Indian government sought and obtained assurances for his extradition, and what is likely to happen next.
When was Nirav Modi arrested, and what triggered India’s extradition requests?
Nirav Modi was arrested in London on March 19, 2019. He has remained in custody at HM Prison Wandsworth since March 20, 2019. India sent its first extradition request to the UK on July 27, 2018, even before his arrest.
This covered two sets of cases by the CBI and Enforcement Directorate (ED): the alleged PNB fraud of about Rs 6,498 crore, and money laundering arising from its proceeds. A second extradition request followed on February 11, 2020, regarding alleged tampering with evidence and interference with witnesses in the CBI investigation.
What happened in the initial extradition hearings?
Extradition hearings took place over two weeks in May and September 2020 at Westminster Magistrates’ Court before District Judge Samuel Goozée, with closing arguments heard in January 2021.
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On February 25, 2021, the judge ruled that there were no statutory bars to Modi’s extradition and sent the case to the UK home secretary. On April 15, 2021, the home secretary approved the extradition order.
Modi appealed to the High Court on grounds that extradition violated his human rights under Article 3 of the European Convention (risk of inhuman treatment) and was “unjust or oppressive” due to his health under the UK’s Extradition Act 2003.
How did the UK courts handle Modi’s appeal, and what role did Indian government assurances play?
The High Court (King’s Bench Division) heard the appeal on October 11-12, 2022, and dismissed it on November 9, 2022. It relied on four assurances from India’s Ministry of Home Affairs: Modi would be held in Barrack No. 12 at Arthur Road Jail, Mumbai, and receive relevant and necessary medical or mental health treatment from a private doctor of his choice.
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The court found these assurances specific, reliable, and sufficient to address the Article‑3 risk. Modi’s request for permission to appeal further to the UK Supreme Court was refused.
After that, a confidential legal bar in the UK (linked to separate proceedings and protections) effectively paused his physical extradition for a defined period, but did not overturn the underlying extradition order.
What were the assurances given by India?
In addition to the assurances on prison conditions and medical care, the Indian government gave detailed diplomatic undertakings to the UK authorities.
Key elements included:
• Extradition is being sought only so that Modi can stand judicial trial in India.
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• He will not be interrogated by any investigative agency – including the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Enforcement Directorate (ED), Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO), Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), or Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) – about the matters for which extradition has been granted, or about any other allegations or proceedings, without following the agreed safeguards.
• If, in future, any need arises to question him in connection with other ongoing cases, this will be done only after taking prior recourse to UK courts/authorities, and strictly in line with any conditions those UK bodies lay down.
• He will not face trial for any offence beyond the scope of the extradition offences unless the UK government consents, in line with the speciality principle that governs extradition.
• Even if such consent is later granted, India has assured that he will not be transferred from Arthur Road Jail to any other prison in India while these cases are pending, except in accordance with any further assurances agreed with the UK.
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Why did Modi try to reopen his appeal, and what arguments did he make?
On August 18, 2025, Modi applied under the UK Criminal Procedure Rules to reopen his case before the UK High Court. He relied on a February 2025 ruling in Bhandari vs Government of India, in which the court had examined allegations of ill‑treatment and custodial abuse by Indian agencies.
What was the final court decision?
On March 25, the High Court dismissed Modi’s petition to reopen proceedings. It rejected claims that Bhandari changed the risk assessment or that India’s assurances fell short.
The court said in the order that the assurances are cognisable at a diplomatic level because the consequences of any breach would be extremely damaging to the relationship of mutual trust and confidence between India and the United Kingdom, particularly in the context of such a high-profile individual as Modi.
What happens next?
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The latest court order clears the path for extradition to India, where Modi faces trial in the PNB fraud, money laundering, and tampering cases. The UK home secretary can now issue a surrender order, though Modi has a short window (about 28 days) to mount further challenges.
Once in India, he will be detained at Arthur Road Jail under the promised conditions. But he still has the option to apply for asylum or other international protection in the UK or before European bodies.
