Dikhyaa Mohanty 
Nirav Modi has lost the first stage of his extradition appeal in the High Court, just over two months after the wanted diamond merchant’s extradition to India was ordered by UK Home Secretary Priti Patel in the estimated USD 2-billion Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam case.
According to the reports, the case was before a High Court judge for a decision “on the papers” submitted for the appeal to determine if there are any grounds for an appeal against the Home Secretary’s decision on April 16 or the Westminster Magistrates Court February ruling in favour of Modi’s extradition to India to face charges of fraud and money laundering.
A High Court official confirmed that the permission to appeal was “rejected on paper”, which leaves the 50-year-old jeweller with a chance for his lawyers to make his case at a brief oral hearing in the High Court with a renewed “leave to appeal” application for a judge to determine if it can proceed to a full appeal hearing.
Under the legal guidelines, Modi, as an appellant, has five business days to apply for such an oral consideration, giving him time until next week. If a renewal application is made, it will be listed before a High Court judge for a hearing. It is understood that Modi plans to make such an application.
Meanwhile, Modi remains behind bars at Wandsworth Prison in south-west London since his arrest over two years ago on March 19, 2019.
The case will now go through the next stage of the High Court appeals process, with a renewed application expected to lead to a hearing in which Modi’s lawyers will argue in favour of a full appeal hearing against the extradition order.
Image Source – Google
