Nirav Modi's bail plea rejected for seventh time
Oct 26, 2020
London [UK], October 26 : The Westminster magistrate court on Monday rejected the bail plea of fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi, for the seventh time.
The 49-year-old fugitive was arrested in March 2019 in London and charged with money laundering and defrauding Punjab National Bank (PNB) of more than Rs 11,000 crore.
"The repeated rejection of bail application of Nirav Modi is the result of excellent coordination among the Central Bureau of Investigation , Ministry of External Affairs and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS)," a CBI official said.
The hearing of the extradition request, made on Modi to the UK by the Indian government accuses him of intimidating witnesses, causing the disappearance of evidence and interference in criminal investigations, had taken on September 7-11.
The first request -- brought by the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) -- relates to PNB fraud and money laundering charges respectively and the hearing took place in 2019 on May 11-14.
The courts in England have deemed him a flight risk and refused five separate bail applications despite Modi pledging million in security.
The next date of an extradition hearing is on November 3, 2020.
