After Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi is probably India’s best-known fugitive; along with Lalit Modi, Mehul Choksi and the Rotomac guy. After having been an absconder for over a year (he fled in January 2018), Nirav Modi with famous jeweler who owes thousands of crores to Indian banks, was spotted and arrested in London.
After reports that fugitive Nirav Modi had been spotted at various places, news reports said that he had been spotted in London.
In July of last year, Interpol issued a Red Corner notice against Nirav Modi. This meant that he could now be apprehended and arrested anywhere in the world. In August 2018, the UK authorities confirmed that Nirav Modi was in the UK, and India's Ministry of External Affairs moved for his extradition to India.
It made international headlines when the ‘jeweller to the stars’ was arrested in London.
The fugitive was spotted by a Telegraph reporter which led to his arrest. However, the political parties and their respective supporters are busy debating whether the ruling party should get credit for this or whether they deserve none because of their laxity in letting him get away in the first place.
It was well over a year since he fled India and there seemed to be little being done to bring him to book. Perhaps Modi was lulled into a sense of security which led to his being arrested?
After his arrest, Modi appealed for bail, however his bail application was rejected and he remains in jail.
According to reports, there is a strong apprehension that Modi would try and subvert the process of law and destroy evidence if granted bail. According to the prosecutor in the matter, he also made death threats and attempted to bribe witnesses.
While back in India, Nirav Modi's properties are being attached and even auctioned to pay off his debts, in the UK, an extradition process against him is initiated. According to reports, the next hearing following his bail rejection, is scheduled for 26th April through video conferencing
There is also the apprehension that Modi will try and get citizenship of another country to avoid being extradited to India. A lot of the Tweeple felt that they were getting a bit of a geography lesson thanks to Modi; most never having heard of Vanautu (Pacific island country west of Fiji) before.
A number of people caution that we need not be too hopeful in the matter of Nirav Modi's extradition. They point to the fact that Modi owns valuable properties in the UK and appears to be enjoying a fine life there. They also point to another fugitive living a similarly fine life, against whom, extradition proceedings are still ongoing, even 18 months after his apprehension.
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