A London court has postponed the trial of fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi in an unrelated $8-million Bank of India loan case, pushing it to March next year. The delay was granted due to significant failures by UK prison authorities in providing Modi with crucial legal documents needed to prepare his defence.
Court Cites Unfair Trial Risk, Grants Adjournment
At an online hearing on Friday, Judge Simon Tinkler partially approved Modi's application to adjourn the eight-day trial originally scheduled for January. The new date is set for March 23, 2025. Justice Tinkler expressed serious doubts about the prison system's ability to deliver the necessary paperwork, stating it put Modi at a disadvantage.
"It does seem to me that the absence of the disclosure bundle... does put Mr Modi in the position where I am not satisfied that the trial would be fair were it to go ahead," the judge noted in his ruling. He stressed that prison authorities must fulfill their obligations to ensure the accused has access to documents for his defence.
Prison Transfer and Confidential Process Complicate Cases
The 54-year-old's legal woes have been compounded by administrative chaos. Modi was moved from Thameside prison to HMP Pentonville in October to facilitate court appearances. This shift between Category B facilities has caused considerable disruption. He was not even produced for the virtual hearing due to a communication error between the court and prison officials.
During the hearing, Modi's barrister, James Kinman, hinted at a "confidential process" blocking extradition—widely believed to be an asylum claim. Kinman asserted this process means Modi is unlikely to be extradited to India before October 2026. He criticised Indian media reports for not providing the "full picture."
Bank of India Opposes Long Delay, Fears Extradition
Representing the Bank of India, barrister Tom Beasley argued against a lengthy adjournment. He urged the court to ensure the trial occurs before Modi's potential extradition to India in the separate $2-billion Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case. Beasley pointed out that conducting a proper trial would become "very hard" if Modi were removed from UK jurisdiction.
The bank is pursuing Modi's personal guarantee for a loan given to Dubai-based Firestar Diamond FZE. Modi is representing himself in this case and is now its sole witness, having missed the deadline to depose an Indian law expert.
Broader Legal Battles and Prison Conditions
Nirav Modi remains in London's Wandsworth prison, where he has been since his arrest in March 2019. Reports indicate he is in a cramped cell, "forced to work from his lap." His fight against extradition continues on multiple fronts.
Earlier this week, a hearing to reopen his extradition case—on grounds of risk of torture in India—was itself adjourned to March-April 2026. This followed the Indian government submitting detailed assurances to the court. It was also revealed that the confidential legal process blocking his removal likely concluded unsuccessfully in August.
Modi faces three sets of criminal proceedings in India: the CBI's PNB fraud case, the ED's money laundering case, and a case for alleged witness tampering. His extradition was ordered by the UK Home Secretary in April 2021, but successive appeals and legal processes have kept him in Britain.
