- Friday, April 26, 2024
By: Radhakrishna N S
INDIAN government said today (8) that it is waiting for the UK to respond to its request to extradite Indian business tycoon, Nirav Modi, one of the main accused in £1.54 billion ($2bn) Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case.
Indian government’s response has come just a day after the British daily, Telegraph reported that the celebrity jeweller was staying in a stylish, luxury apartment in London.
India had asked the UK in August, last year to extradite Modi, 48, one of the main accused in the loan fraud at state-run PNB.
“Just because Nirav Modi has been spotted doesn’t mean he will be brought back immediately,” Raveesh Kumar, a spokesman for India’s ministry of external affairs (MEA) said.
MEA added that the Indian government was taking all steps to extradite Modi, from the UK and the British government was considering India’s request to extradite the accused.
“The UK is still considering our request to extradite Nirav Modi…The government is taking all necessary steps for his extradition,” MEA spokesperson added at a media briefing.
The spokesperson has also said India made the request for extradition to the British government earlier knowing that Modi was living in London.
“Request for Extradition of Nirav Modi to India was sent in July 2018 to UK. The UK Central Authority of Home Office has confirmed that the Extradition Request has been sent to the Westminster Magistrate Court for the District Judge for further proceedings,” tweeted India’s federal law enforcement and economic intelligence agency, Enforcement Directorate (ED), one of the probe agencies responsible for PNB fraud case investigation.
Request for Extradition of Nirav Modi to India was sent in July 2018 to UK. The UK Central Authority of Home Office has confirmed that the Extradition Request has been sent to the Westminster Magistrate Court for the District Judge for further proceedings.
— ED (@dir_ed) March 9, 2019
