I will kill myself if sent back to India: Nirav Modi to UK court

New Delhi: A UK court has rejected a fresh bail plea of the fugitive diamond merchant, Nirav Modi, though an unprecedented offer was made by Modi. He was ready to pay four million pounds as security and was ready to be under house arrest, reported PTI. 

However, judge Arbuthnot said that she was not convinced that Nirav Modi if let out on a bail, won’t interfere with witnesses.

“The past is a prediction of what might happen in the future,” the judge said, as quoted by PTI.

James Lewis, who appeared on behalf of the Indian government, opposed the bail plea and said that Nirav Modi continued to possess the means and intention to flee the UK.

“He (Nirav Modi) has said he will kill himself if his extradition is ordered. That, in itself, is the strongest motivation for someone to abscond,” he said.

Nirav’s barrister, on the other hand, said his client was being assaulted by other inmates as he was “wrongly been called a billionaire diamantaire in the press”.

In evidence submitted to the court, Nirav Modi said he would kill himself if he is extradited to India as he apprehends that he wouldn’t get a fair trial in India.

Nirav will next appear on December 4. His extradition trial is scheduled between May 11 and 15, 2020, and he must be produced via video link before a court every 28 days.