UK judge rejects Nirav Modi's request to suppress witness statements

By Poonam Joshi
London [UK], November 4 : District judge Samuel Goozee has rejected an appeal by fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi to dismiss documents submitted by the Government of India in their case against him in the PNB fraud case.
The court will hear the final submissions in the case on January 7 and January 8, 2021.
Judge Goozee, sitting at Westminster Magistrate's Court in London, having heard arguments from both sides about the admissibility of the statements - including those obtained by police officers in India - agreed to admit the documents stating that they were sufficient to help him establish that there was a "Prima Facie" case for Modi to be sent to India. Modi is likely to appeal to a higher court if Judge Goozee rules that he be extradited to India.
He is facing a slew of charges in relation to the PNB scam including fraudulently obtaining Letters of Understanding (LOU's or loan agreements) and laundering that money as well as witness intimidation and "disappearance of evidence" during the subsequent investigation by the Indian authorities.
The former jeweller to Bollywood and Hollywood stars has been in prison since March 2019 and today's hearing follows his seventh unsuccessful bail application last week. Modi's lawyers claim that their client is suffering from depression and has offered ever-increasing sums as security for his release. Judge Goozee however has repeatedly refused bail requests, citing the Indian government's concerns that Modi remains a flight risk as well as the danger of him potentially influencing witnesses in the case.