Shadowed Justice: European Court Shields Nirav Modi's Case

The European Court of Human Rights has granted anonymity to fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi, concealing his case details from the public. The court will soon hear both Modi and India's CBI, potentially removing the last barrier to his extradition to India from the UK, where he is imprisoned.

Nirav Modi, the fugitive diamantaire notorious for his Rs 13,000 crore fraud in India, will have his plea heard in secret by the European Court of Human Rights. The decision grants him anonymity, removing his case from public scrutiny and placing the proceedings behind closed doors, officials confirmed.

The court in France's Strasbourg will soon hold a hearing on Modi's application, along with submissions from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) of India. A decision to reject Modi's plea would clear the final legal obstacle to his extradition from the UK, where he has been held since March 2019.

The UK High Court had previously dismissed Modi's appeal against extradition, citing comprehensive assurances by India, thereby closing his legal avenues within the UK. Modi's case is being compared to that of Sanjay Bhandari, another extradition case, which had raised concerns over the use of torture by Indian authorities.

(With inputs from agencies.)