Nirav Modi’s 10th Bail Petition Rejected by London Court, Extradition to India Looms
London, UK, May 16, 2025 – The High Court of Justice, King’s Bench Division, London, rejected fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi’s latest bail petition on May 15, 2025, marking his 10th failed attempt to secure release while awaiting extradition to India. Modi, a key accused in the ₹13,850 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case, has been detained in a UK prison since March 19, 2019. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), supported by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), successfully opposed the plea, citing Modi’s status as a “substantial flight risk,” as reported by NDTV, India TV, and Hindustan Times. This development advances India’s efforts to bring the fugitive economic offender to trial for fraud, money laundering, and evidence tampering.
Details of the Bail Rejection
- Court Ruling: The London High Court dismissed Modi’s bail application, with the judge reinforcing prior rulings that Modi poses a significant risk of absconding justice due to the scale of the alleged fraud, estimated at over $1 billion. The court noted his access to substantial resources across jurisdictions, increasing the likelihood of flight, per Business Standard.
- CBI’s Role: A CBI team, including investigating and law officers, traveled to London to assist the CPS in opposing the bail. The agency highlighted Modi’s history of evading justice, including his flight from India in January 2018 before the PNB scam surfaced. The CBI’s coordination with the UK’s CPS and Ministry of External Affairs was pivotal, as noted in their official statement.
- Modi’s Arguments: Modi’s legal team, led by barrister Edward Fitzgerald, cited “potential threats to his life from the Indian government” as a reason he would not flee, referencing alleged plots against Sikh activists in the US and Canada, which India denies. The CPS dismissed these claims as baseless, and the court rejected the argument, focusing on Modi’s past attempt to seek Vanuatu citizenship to evade extradition.
- Flight Risk Concerns: Previous bail denials, including the seventh in October 2020 and fifth in May 2024, cited Modi’s attempt to invest $200,000 for Vanuatu citizenship and his possession of multiple passports (since revoked). Judges have consistently ruled that the “high value” of the fraud and Modi’s resources make him a flight risk.
Background of the Case
Nirav Modi, 54, is accused of orchestrating a massive fraud at PNB, siphoning off ₹6,498.20 crore of the total ₹13,850 crore scam through fraudulent Letters of Undertaking (LoUs) issued by PNB’s Brady House branch from 2011 to 2017. Alongside his uncle Mehul Choksi, who was arrested in Belgium in April 2025, Modi is charged with:
- CBI Case: Fraud and criminal conspiracy for defrauding PNB, causing losses equivalent to over £700 million.
- Enforcement Directorate (ED) Case: Money laundering of fraud proceeds, diverting over ₹4,000 crore via shell companies in Hong Kong and the UAE.
- Evidence Tampering: Alleged interference with witnesses and evidence, including intimidating employees and destroying mobile phones in Dubai.
Modi fled India in January 2018, weeks before the CBI registered the case. He was arrested in London on March 19, 2019, after a bank clerk alerted Scotland Yard when Modi attempted to open a new account. The UK High Court approved his extradition in February 2021, with then-Home Secretary Priti Patel signing the order in April 2021. Despite exhausting appeals up to the UK Supreme Court in December 2022, Modi’s extradition remains pending due to “confidential legal reasons,” possibly an asylum application, though the CPS denies claims that extradition is indefinitely stalled.
Current Status and Implications
- Prison Conditions: Modi is held at Thameside Prison in Greenwich, having been transferred from Wandsworth Prison in 2024. The UK court has accepted India’s assurances that he will be housed in Mumbai’s Arthur Road Jail Barrack 12 with adequate security and mental health care if extradited.
- Extradition Process: The bail rejection strengthens India’s position, with the CBI and ED pushing for Modi’s swift surrender. However, ongoing “confidential proceedings” cited by Modi’s lawyer may delay extradition, frustrating Indian authorities who have sought UK updates as recently as January 2024.
- Asset Recovery: The ED has recovered ₹1,052 crore from Modi’s assets, including wind and solar power plants and art collections, returning funds to banks, per Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in December 2024.
Public and Official Reactions
The rejection drew attention on X, with posts reflecting strong sentiment:
- @ANI reported, “Nirav Modi’s bail petition rejected in London,” citing CBI sources.
- @ManobalaV called it a “BIG BREAKING,” noting Modi’s 10th denial as the prime accused in the $2 billion scam.
- @ians_india emphasized the CBI’s success, linking to the ₹6,498.20 crore fraud.
Indian officials hailed the decision as a testament to international cooperation. A senior CBI official told India TV, “The repeated rejection of bail is a result of excellent coordination among the CBI, External Affairs Ministry, and CPS,” underscoring India’s resolve to pursue economic offenders.
Why It Matters
Modi’s case is a high-profile test of India’s efforts to repatriate fugitive economic offenders like Vijay Mallya and Mehul Choksi. The PNB scam, one of India’s largest banking frauds, eroded public trust in financial institutions, and Modi’s extradition is seen as critical to restoring accountability. The bail rejection signals that UK courts remain unconvinced by Modi’s defenses, including mental health and political persecution claims, keeping pressure on his eventual return to face trial.
Conclusion
Nirav Modi’s 10th bail petition was rejected by London’s High Court on May 15, 2025, with the CBI and CPS successfully arguing his flight risk in the ₹13,850 crore PNB fraud case. Incarcerated since March 2019, Modi faces extradition to India, approved in 2021, though confidential legal hurdles persist. The decision marks a step toward justice for one of India’s most wanted fugitives. For updates, follow Hindustan Times (www.hindustantimes.com) or CBI’s official site (cbi.gov.in).
Note: Information is based on sources as of May 16, 2025, at 12:50 AM IST. Verify with official CBI or UK court statements for accuracy.