Daijiworld Media Network - London

London, Mar 26: In a major setback to fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi, the High Court of Justice, King’s Bench Division, has rejected his petition to reopen proceedings against his extradition to India.

The court ruled that the application failed to meet the threshold of “exceptional circumstances” required to revisit the case. It observed that the grounds cited, including reliance on the Bhandari judgment, were insufficient to justify reopening the proceedings.

The decision effectively closes another legal route for Modi, who is wanted in India in connection with the Rs 13,000-crore Punjab National Bank fraud case, one of the country’s largest banking scams.

During the hearing, the Crown Prosecution Service strongly opposed the plea, with support from a team of the Central Bureau of Investigation that had travelled to London, including key investigating officers.

The High Court noted that the arguments presented were not compelling enough to reconsider its earlier extradition order, reaffirming previous rulings in favour of sending Modi back to India.

Modi has been contesting extradition for several years, raising issues related to prison conditions and mental health. However, UK courts have consistently held that there is a prima facie case against him and that his rights would not be violated upon extradition.