London: Fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi, who is fighting extradition to India, was Thursday further remanded in custody until August 6. Nirav Modi had appeared at a regular remand hearing before a United Kingdom court on charges over the nearly USD 2 billion Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud and money laundering case. The 49-year-old jeweller, has been lodged at Wandsworth Prison in south-west London since his arrest in March last year.
Nirav Modi appeared via videolink before Chief Magistrate Emma Arbuthnot at Westminster Magistrates’ Court here for a regular 28-day ‘call-over’ hearing until the second leg of his extradition trial begins in September.
“Nice to see you looking well,” said Judge Arbuthnot, as she informed Nirav of his next videolink call-over hearing August 6.
In May, District Judge Samuel Goozee presided over the first part of the extradition trial. It was held in a partial remote setting due to the coronavirus lockdown restrictions. The second part of the trial is scheduled for a five-day hearing from September 7.
“I hope Mr Modi by the time we get to September the current restrictions on movement from prisons have been eased. Then you can be in court in person to follow the proceedings,” the judge had said. It was the first part of the extradition trial which ended May 14.
Nirav Modi had been following the court proceedings from a room at Wandsworth Prison. He could be seen taking notes during the course of the trial.