Former UK Home Secretary Priti Patel has questioned the continued delay in the extradition of fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi, saying she is "appalled and horrified" that he remains in the United Kingdom despite the British government approving his extradition to India in 2021.
According to PTI, Patel, who signed Modi's extradition order while serving as home secretary, said the prolonged legal proceedings have become a source of frustration for both the UK and India. Her remarks came during The Daily Telegraph's podcast series The Diamond King, which revisits the investigation that led to Modi's arrest in London in 2019.
Nirav Modi, the founder of the now-defunct Firestar Diamond group, is wanted in India in connection with the estimated $2 billion Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case. He faces allegations of fraud, money laundering and tampering with evidence, making the case one of India's largest banking scandals.
Legal Challenges Continue To Delay Extradition
Patel noted that she had approved Modi's extradition after UK courts found a prima facie case supporting India's request. However, the extradition has remained pending due to a series of legal challenges filed by the businessman.
According to the report, the delays have involved multiple appeals before the UK High Court on human rights grounds, alongside a separate confidential asylum claim. Following the reported rejection of his asylum application, Modi sought to reopen his extradition case, but the High Court in England dismissed that request in March this year.
The 55-year-old businessman is currently lodged at Pentonville prison in north London. He has exhausted his legal avenues in the UK and has also reportedly failed in a final appeal before the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), bringing his extradition closer.
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PNB Fraud Case Remains Among India's Biggest Financial Crimes
Modi is wanted in India in connection with three separate criminal proceedings. These include the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) investigation into the alleged PNB loan fraud, the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) money laundering case linked to the alleged proceeds of the fraud, and another case concerning alleged interference with evidence and witnesses during the CBI investigation.
The PNB fraud, uncovered in 2018, triggered wider scrutiny of India's banking system, particularly around the issuance of Letters of Undertaking (LoUs), and prompted regulatory and operational reforms aimed at strengthening risk controls in the banking sector.
Patel Says Delay Has Affected Bilateral Engagement
During the podcast, Patel also claimed that the unresolved extradition case had complicated discussions between India and the UK on migration-related matters.
According to NDTV, she said India had resisted accepting failed asylum seekers and visa overstayers while high-profile extradition cases, including Modi's, remained unresolved. Patel further claimed that Indian authorities were "hugely angry" over the British government's inability to complete the extradition process.
She argued that Modi should have already been returned to India to face trial under the UK-India extradition treaty, adding that the prolonged legal process had undermined confidence in the system.
Patel also criticised the repeated delays, saying the UK's extradition framework was intended to ensure that individuals accused of serious financial crimes could be transferred to the requesting country after due legal process. She described the prolonged proceedings as an abuse of the system and reiterated that Modi should face the judicial process in India.
The comments come as Nirav Modi's extradition remains one of the most closely watched cross-border financial crime cases involving India and the United Kingdom, with Indian investigative agencies continuing to pursue his return to face trial in the PNB fraud and related money laundering cases.
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