Nirav Modi To Be Brought Back To India Soon? CBI Teams In London As Extradition Nears

Upon his return, Nirav Modi is expected to face expedited trial proceedings in connection with the fraud case. 

Fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi (File image)

In a significant development in one of India’s most high-profile economic fugitive cases, fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi could be brought back to India soon, with top government sources indicating that the extradition process has entered its final phase. Sources told CNN-News18 exclusively, teams from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) are already in London to facilitate the process, suggesting that operational steps to bring Modi back are underway.

Sources said that most major legal hurdles in the United Kingdom have been effectively exhausted, clearing the way for his return. The deployment of CBI teams to London is being seen as a sign that the process has moved beyond legal proceedings into its final execution stage.

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Nirav Modi, who is accused in the multi-billion dollar fraud involving Punjab National Bank, has been at the centre of India’s efforts to bring back economic offenders who fled the country.

If completed, the extradition would mark a major breakthrough for the government, reflecting what officials describe as a stronger track record in pursuing fugitives abroad through sustained legal and diplomatic efforts. Upon his return, Nirav Modi is expected to face expedited trial proceedings in connection with the fraud case.

This comes as in March, a court in London dismissed Nirav Modi’s petition to reopen proceedings against his extradition to India, marking another step towards his return to face charges in the alleged Rs 6,498-crore PNB fraud case. Nirav Modi was arrested in London on March 19, 2019. India had sent its first extradition request to the UK on July 27, 2018, even before his arrest. This covered cases filed by the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED), including the alleged PNB fraud and related money laundering charges. A second extradition request was submitted on February 11, 2020, pertaining to allegations of tampering with evidence and influencing witnesses in the CBI investigation.

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