Court allows Enforcement Directorate to start extradition process against Nirav Modi

The ED is understood to have sought Nirav Modi’s extradition from the UK, Belgium and a few other countries, on the basis of a recent charge sheet filed by the agency under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

A special court in Mumbai on Tuesday allowed the Enforcement Directorate’s plea seeking extradition of fugitive billionaire jeweller Nirav Modi in a money laundering case related to the USD 2 billion Punjab National Bank (PNB) loan fraud.

Enforcement Directorate had moved a special court in Mumbai, seeking extradition of designer diamond jeweller Nirav Modi in PNB fraud case. (LiveMint/File Photo)

Judge M S Azmi allowed the central agency to initiate the extradition process.

ED counsel Hiten Venegaokar said the order would be sent to the Ministry of External Affairs, which would forward it to the UK government.

The agency had moved the extradition application Monday.

The ED is understood to have sought Modi’s extradition from the UK, Belgium and a few other countries, on the basis of a recent charge sheet filed by the agency under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

The court had last week issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against Nirav Modi after taking cognisance of the charge sheet.

According to the officials, the extradition request was made to multiple countries as Nirav Modi had been changing his location continuously.

The CBI and the ED have registered two FIRs each in the case. Modi and Choksi are said to have left the country before the criminal cases were lodged against them.