Fugitive diamond merchant, Nirav Modi, was arrested in London, on the 19th of March, while trying to open a bank account.
The arrest was reported by a bank teller, who notified the police when Modi was attempting to open a bank account. However, while this sounds as a great win for the Indian legal system, the move came as a surprise for Modi and his lawyers.
Modi was going to surrender himself to the London courts on the 25th of March this year, in a much less dramatic manner. This arrest now paves the way for the Indian courts to get the diamond merchant back on Indian soil and to face the law. However, the return is much longer than what the courts earlier anticipated.
Looking at the long and drawn out process the Vijay Mallya arrest is taking, it could be a good 2 to 3 years before Nirav Modi gets on a plane to India. The United Kingdom court proceedings are expected to take 6 to 9 months, post which, Modi will face a two week long trial.
Post the trial, the Chief Magistrate is expected to reserve judgement for a period of two months before referring the case to the U.K. Home Secretary. If the Home Secretary doesn’t pass a judgement after two months, Modi can appeal for a discharge.
If either side isn’t satisfied with the results given by the Home Secretary, they have 14 days to appeal before the High Court. While the appeal has to be filed within a period of two weeks, the results can take several months to be heard, resulting in a further delay of the case. George Hepburn Scott, an extradition barrister and Modi’s representative, posted a bail request to the tune of Rs. 4.5 crores.
The U.K. Court ordered Nirav Modi to stay in police custody till the 29th of March this year. Post the 8 day custody, Modi will appear before Emma Arbuthnout, the same Chief Magistrate who oversaw the Vijay Mallya trial.
For more updates about the Nirav Modi case, stay tuned to Mango News!
