How retired Supreme Court judge’s ‘defence’ of Nirav Modi failed in UK court
A UK High Court recently rejected fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi’s plea to reopen his extradition case to India, clearing the path for his return to face charges in the ₹13,000 crore Punjab National Bank scam. Retired Supreme Court judge Justice Deepak Verma testified as an expert witness for Modi’s defense, arguing risks of prolonged interrogation and custodial torture despite India’s assurances.
Verma’s Key Arguments
Justice Verma claimed it was “inevitable” Modi would face custodial interrogation, as CBI proceedings remained at the inquiry stage under CrPC Section 240, contradicting agency affidavits. He questioned the credibility of India’s assurances due to pending non-bailable warrants and cited Tihar Jail overcrowding statistics, drawing parallels to the Sanjay Bhandari case where he also testified. Verma suggested these factors undermined assurances against arrest or mistreatment by agencies like CBI and ED.
Why the Defence Failed
The court deemed India’s assurances—issued in September and December 2025, plus a February 2026 note verbale—”reliable” and “cognizable,” ensuring no interrogation by the five involved agencies. It highlighted the India-UK bilateral ties, case’s high profile, and Modi’s access to lawyers and medical care, finding no “exceptional circumstances” like in Bhandari’s stayed extradition. The UK court had previously noted Verma’s testimony as overly “combative” and advocacy-like in Bhandari’s case, though it accepted his data then.
Court’s Final Ruling
Delivered around March 25, 2026, the judgment dismissed Modi’s bid, prioritizing India’s sovereign commitments over Verma’s doubts on procedural records and prison conditions. This aligns with ongoing UK refusals of Modi’s bail and advances India’s long pursuit since his 2018 flight.
