Fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi, who is wanted in India for his alleged involvement in the $2 billion Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud and money laundering case, has indicated that there will be "sensational developments" in his extradition case. Modi made this statement during a pre-trial review hearing in London at the Royal Courts of Justice, ahead of his extradition appeal which is scheduled to reopen next month.
The 54-year-old appeared before High Court Judge Simon Tinkler on Friday, October 17, 2025, to defend himself in an unrelated case regarding an unpaid debt of over $8 million to the Bank of India. During the hearing, Modi, who has been imprisoned in the UK for over six years since March 2019, stated that he was "extremely hopeful" of being discharged or granted bail after the court agreed to accept new evidence in his extradition matter. He emphasized, "They (Bank of India) refer to my extradition… I'm still here. There will be some sensational developments, and I have never used these words before".
The UK's Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has confirmed that Modi has applied to reopen his extradition appeal, and Indian authorities have already submitted their response. The hearing is expected to take place towards the end of November.
Representing himself as a "litigant in person," Modi addressed the Judge with handwritten notes, raising concerns about limited computer access and eyesight problems in prison, which he said made the proceedings "unfair and imbalanced". He also remarked on assumptions made against him by the Bank of India, suggesting that spending a day in prison would provide some perspective on basic common sense.
The Bank of India, represented by barristers Tom Beasley and Milan Kapadia, is pursuing Modi's personal guarantee tied to a loan issued to Dubai-based Firestar Diamond FZE. They opposed his plea to pause the proceedings, arguing it would unfairly delay the long-pending claim. Justice Tinkler rejected Modi's application for a stay, ruling that the trial, set for January 2026, will proceed and that sufficient time has been allotted to accommodate Modi's medical needs, including arrangements for computer access. The judge also addressed Modi's concerns about a shift from HMP Thameside, where he has been lodged, and assured that directions were in place for his paperwork to be moved or for him to be returned to Thameside at the earliest.
In 2021, the then UK Home Secretary Priti Patel ordered Modi's extradition to face charges in Indian courts after a prima facie case was established against him. Modi has since exhausted his legal avenues to contest the order until recently, when his application to reopen his appeal was accepted. Behind bars since his arrest in March 2019, Modi has repeatedly been denied bail on grounds that he poses a flight risk. In India, he faces three criminal cases related to the PNB fraud, alleged money laundering, and tampering with witnesses. In 2020, a Mumbai court declared Nirav Modi a fugitive economic offender and ordered the confiscation of his assets.