London — The Divisional Court of the King’s Bench Division has refused to reopen proceedings seeking to challenge the extradition of fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi in connection with the alleged Rs 13,800 crore Punjab National Bank fraud.
The court dismissed Modi’s claim that fresh evidence established a real risk of torture or ill-treatment in India sufficient to justify revisiting his extradition. Modi, accused of money laundering, has been held at HMP Wandsworth since his arrest on March 19, 2019; the UK Home Secretary ordered his extradition in 2021.
Modi’s August 18, 2025 application to reopen the appeal relied in part on an earlier High Court judgment in the Sanjay Bhandari case. His legal team argued that that ruling indicated a risk from Indian authorities. The Divisional Court concluded it was “not necessary to re-open this appeal in order to avoid real injustice” and that the circumstances were not exceptional.
The judges’ decision drew heavily on a package of what they described as “comprehensive, detailed and reliable” assurances from the Government of India. Those included a note verbale from the Indian High Commission dated February 12, 2026, stating Modi’s extradition request is for a judicial trial only. India also undertook that Modi would not be questioned by the Central Bureau of Investigation, the Enforcement Directorate or other investigating agencies, that he would remain at Mumbai’s Arthur Road Prison rather than being moved to another facility, and that fully functional video-conferencing would be available for his court appearances.
The court said it was satisfied as to the good faith of the Government of India and accepted the assurances as intended to be binding. With this ruling, Modi’s remaining avenues to challenge his extradition in the UK appear exhausted, clearing the path for his return to India to face trial.
The report also notes that Belgium’s Court of Cassation earlier dismissed Mehul Choksi’s appeal against extradition to India, finding his objections lacked substance.
(This report is from a syndicated feed and is published as received.)
