india

Updated: Aug 22, 2019 16:50 IST

Diamantaire Nirav Modi, key accused in the Rs14,000-crore fraud at Punjab National Bank (PNB), appeared before a UK court on Thursday via videolink from his London prison and was further sent to judicial custody till September 19.

In the routine “call-over” hearing in Nirav Modi’s extradition case at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, Judge Tan Ikram indicated that the extradition trial would be held in May next year. The dates are to be decided after consultation between the two sides.

The PNB scam accused has been denied bail three times in the magistrates’ court. His appeal against the rejections was also rejected in the high court in June, when Judge Ingrid Simler ruled that he posed a ‘flight risk’ and could possibly interfere in witnesses and evidence.

Claire Montgomery, Nirav Modi’s lawyer, who offered 2 million pounds as bail security and follow stringent conditions, had described his stay in the overcrowded jail as “extreme” and “personally difficult”.

Under British law the remand in jail needs to be renewed every 28 days, which means he will again appear in court by video-link from Wandsworth prison to have it extended further on September 19.

The Indian government has informed the court through the Crown Prosecution Service that if extradited, Nirav Modi will be lodged in Barrack 12 of the Arthur Road jail in Mumbai.

Several remand and case management hearings will be held in the magistrates court before the extradition trial is held over five days in May. He is wanted in India in connection with major financial offences related to a Mumbai branch of the Punjab National Bank.

Modi and businessman Mallya are among several Indian extradition requests currently in UK courts, including that of suspected cricket bookie Sanjeev Chawla, whose case has progressed through the magistrates court and the home secretary, and is awaiting a ruling in the high court on his application to appeal.