International
oi-Ashish Rana
Fugitive businessman Nirav Modi has now finished receiving an overwhelming legal setback in Europe, and is on the brink of being extradited to India. Modi has exhausted his final hope of challenging his extradition from the United Kingdom in the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), NDTV reports. Administrative procedures are still pending before he can be transferred to the Indian authorities, diplomatic sources said.
Fugitive businessman Nirav Modi faces imminent extradition from the UK to India after his final legal challenge was rejected by the European Court of Human Rights, leaving only administrative procedures for his transfer.
Final Appeal Before European Court Rejected
Modi approached the European Court of Human Rights in April 2026 after exhausting all legal remedies available in the UK. The appeal came after British authorities moved forward with the process of transferring the necessary extradition documents to India.
The Strasbourg-based court had granted anonymity to his plea, ensuring that the proceedings remained confidential while the matter was under consideration. With the court declining to provide any relief, diplomatic sources said there are no legal hurdles left to prevent his extradition.
UK Courts Earlier Backed India’s Assurances
Before approaching the European court, Modi had already failed to obtain relief in the UK judicial system. The UK High Court refused him permission to challenge the extradition order, ruling that the assurances provided by India regarding prison conditions and treatment were adequate.
According to NDTV, the UK can now move ahead with the extradition process as only administrative procedures remain before the handover can be completed.
Bid Based On Bhandari Judgment Also Failed
In March this year, the UK High Court of Justice, King’s Bench Division, dismissed Modi’s request to reopen proceedings related to his extradition.
The application relied on the Bhandari judgment, a separate case involving defence middleman Sanjay Bhandari, whose extradition was blocked after he argued that he could face torture if returned to India.
Modi had stated too that he was at risk of torture if he was extradited. But the officers of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) were able to rebut those arguments in court.
The High Court of the UK in its rejection of the plea noted that Modi had not provided “extraordinary circumstances” to warrant the reopening of the extradition proceedings.
Extradition Process Now In Final Stage
Since his arrest in March of 2019, Nirav Modi has been lodged in London’s Wandsworth Prison. Both the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) have issued warrants for him arrest in the alleged money laundering and fraud cases concerning the Punjab National Bank (PNB).
The handing over process has already started, diplomatic sources said, and his extradition to India may be anytime soon once the last of the formalities are completed.
