2 min readNew DelhiMar 26, 2026 01:36 AM IST
THE HIGH Court of Justice, King’s Bench Division, in London on Wednesday dismissed fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi’s petition seeking to reopen proceedings against his extradition order to India, marking another step toward his return to face charges in the Rs 6,498-crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case.
“The matter was strongly argued by the Crown Prosecution Service advocate, ably assisted by a dedicated CBI team, including investigating officers who travelled to London for the hearing. The reopening application had been filed on the basis of the Bhandari judgment; however, with sustained and coordinated efforts of the CBI, the challenge was successfully overcome,” a CBI spokesperson said in a statement.
“The High Court while handing down the judgment observed that the re-open petition and the circumstances surrounding it are not exceptional so as to make it appropriate to re-open it,” the spokesperson said.
According to the central agency, it has been seeking the extradition of Nirav Modi in connection with the PNB scam, with proceedings ongoing since 2018. “Following his arrest in the UK in 2019, courts approved his extradition and rejected earlier appeals, finding no legal barriers and accepting assurances regarding his treatment in India. Although a temporary legal obstacle delayed the process, it was lifted in August 2025,” the spokesperson said.
“Nirav Modi had applied to reopen his appeal, citing concerns about potential ill-treatment and questioning whether assurances provided by Indian authorities were sufficient to protect his rights. He has been in a UK prison since 19 March 2019,” the spokesperson said.
He was declared a fugitive economic offender in 2019.
Along with his uncle Mehul Choksi, Nirav Modi is wanted by the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate for cheating the PNB using fraudulent Letters of Undertaking (LoUs). Last month, the Belgium government had confirmed that Choksi, 65, was arrested in Antwerp following an extradition request by Indian investigation agencies.
