Nirav Modi to make second bail application at next UK court hearing

Fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi wanted in India on fraud and money laundering charges amounting to USD 2 billion is set to appear before Westminster Magistrates Court in London on Friday when his legal team will make a second bail applicationThe 48yearold had been denied bail by District Judge Marie Mallon at his first hearing soon after his arrest by Scotland Yard officers from a central London bank branch as he tried to open a new bank account and has been in custody at HMP Wandsworth prison in southwest London since last WednesdayHe is expected to be produced before the court for a second bail application hearing on March 29 a court official confirmed on Tuesday Crown Prosecution Service CPS barrister Jonathan Swain arguing on behalf of the Indian authorities had objected to Modis bail plea during last weeks hearing stressing that he was wanted in India for high value and sophisticated fraud and money laundering amounting to USD 2 billionJudge Mallon had ruled in favour of the Indian authorities saying that she was convinced Modi had the means and incentive to jump bail and fail to surrender The next hearing in the case is expected to be presided over by Chief Magistrate Emma Arbuthnot the judge who ordered the extradition of former Kingfisher Airlines boss Vijay Mallya to India last December That case is currently in the UK High Court as part of Mallyas application seeking leave to appeal against her rulingFurther to the Mallya case India now has a template to refer to when dealing with the extradition procedure of Nirav Modi from the UK said Sarosh Zaiwalla Founder and Senior Partner at UKbased law firm Zaiwalla amp CoDescribing him as the opposite of a flight risk during the first bail application hearing last week Modis defence team had offered 500000 pounds as security and also submitted to any stringent conditions that may be imposed upon their client It remains to be seen how they would further bolster that offer in order to convince the judge to grant bail during the second hearing following which the case will proceed to a series of case management hearings and setting of a trial dateDuring Modis first court appearance after his arrest last week it emerged that the diamantaire accused of defrauding Indias stateowned Punjab National Bank PNB via fraudulent Letters of Undertaking LoUs had been working on building up his legal team against extradition proceedings since March last yearIn July 2018 once the Indian authorities had sent their extradition request to the UK Home Office he hired Boutique Law a specialist law firm specialising in extradition Anand Doobay of Boutique Law who was present in court last week has been the solicitor in charge of the Mallya extradition case as wellHe along with barrister George Hepburne Scott makeup Modis defence team and sought to establish their clients full engagement with UK authorities and willingness to cooperateHe strongly contests the allegations has a wealth of material in support of his case Hepburne Scott told the court indicating that political motivation and human rights violations in an Indian jail will form part of Modis comprehensive defence strategyHis team also contested his fugitive status claiming that Modi arrived in London in January last year before any of the allegations emerged and has maintained a very visible presence in the UK ever sinceThe court was told that he has a contract of employment with Diamond Holdings Ltd in London for a monthly salary of 20000 pounds since October last year and has been paying his local council taxIt also emerged in court that Modi was in possession of multiple passports since revoked by the Indian authorities While one passport is now in possession of the Metropolitan Police a second expired passport is lying with the UK Home Office and a third with the UKs Driving and Vehicle Licensing Authority DVLA for a drivers licenceBesides the passports Modi also possesses multiple residency cards some of them expired but covering countries such as the UAE Singapore and Hong KongCatch up on all the latest Crime National International and Hatke news here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get the latest updates