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LONDON: Jailed diamantaire Nirav Modi told a UK court on Wednesday that he was beaten up “three times” in prison and threatened to kill himself if his extradition to India is ordered, but still a UK judge refused to grant him bail.

The 49-year-old appeared at the Westminster Magistrates’ Court with his barrister Hugo Keith QC, who made a fifth bail application.

Nirav, accused of defrauding Punjab National Bank of more than Rs 9,100 crore, is in custody ahead of his extradition trial from May 11 to 15, 2020.

Keith claimed Nirav had been beaten up twice in Wandsworth prison in April and most recently on Tuesday.

“Just after 9am yesterday, two inmates entered his cell and while holding the door shut, punched him, pushed him to the floor, kicked him and made extortion attempts on him whilst he was on the phone to a colleague. It was a targeted attack probably brought about by the renewed media coverage [of the case],” he said referring to parts of a confidential doctor’s report on Nirav’s depression leaked to the press.

He said the prison service failed to respond to the assaults and Nirav’s request to see a counsellor was also denied.

“Nirav Modi has wrongly been called a ‘billionaire diamantaire’ in the press so such assaults will happen again,” Keith said.

In evidence submitted to the court, Nirav said he would kill himself if his extradition to India was ordered and expressed his apprehension that he would not get a fair trial in India.

Nirav’s barrister put forward a suggestion in lieu of jail of “conditions akin to suspected terrorists” — paid for by Nirav — whereby visitors would be allowed 9am to 9pm but their bags searched, there would be 24 hour security cameras on his house and 12-hour security guards, he would have restrictions on his phone and computer and be electronically tagged. This was because of the “enormous difficulties preparing his defence from jail”.

Hugo doubled Nirav’s bail security offer to £4 million (Rs 36 crore).

Denying bail once again, chief magistrate Emma Arbuthnot said she had fears Nirav would abscond or could interfere with witnesses and destroy evidence. Nirav will next appear on 4 December.

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In Video: Punjab National Bank scam: UK court rejects Nirav Modi's fresh bail plea