Fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi’s extradition to India appears imminent after he reportedly failed in his final legal challenge before the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), clearing the last
remaining legal hurdle in the long-running extradition proceedings.
According to documents accessed by News18 India, Modi approached the ECHR in April 2026 after exhausting all avenues of appeal before the UK courts.
Sources said the European court did not grant him relief, leaving no further legal remedies available to challenge his extradition.
With the legal process now effectively concluded, sources said the UK government has begun the administrative formalities required to hand Modi over to Indian authorities.
Diplomatic sources indicated that his extradition could now take place at any time.
Modi has been lodged in HMP Wandsworth in London since March 2019.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) are seeking his extradition in connection with the alleged multi-crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud and a related money laundering case.
The reported development follows years of litigation in British courts after the then UK Home Secretary Priti Patel signed his extradition order in April 2021.
Since then, Modi has filed multiple appeals and bail applications, all of which were unsuccessful.
Modi remains in prison while contesting extradition to India in the alleged USD 2 billion Punjab National Bank fraud and money laundering case.
In March 2026, he lost what was described as a last-ditch attempt to reopen his extradition proceedings by claiming there was a “real risk of torture” if he were returned to India.
Following that setback, he is believed to have approached the European Court of Human Rights seeking an injunction, with the proceedings remaining confidential at the time.
This was related to a separate commercial dispute in which the High Court in London ruled that Modi is liable to pay Bank of India more than USD 11.5 million, including accrued interest, under a personal guarantee linked to a loan extended to Dubai-based Firestar Diamond FZE.
Justice Simon Tinkler of the London Circuit Commercial Court held that Modi had been validly served with the bank’s demand notice and that the personal guarantee was enforceable under Indian law.
The judgment also noted disruptions caused by Modi’s transfer between UK prisons, including delays in transferring his legal papers and failures by prison authorities to produce him before court despite valid judicial orders.
The prison authorities later apologised for the lapses and informed the court that procedural changes had been introduced.
The Bank of India clarified that the commercial recovery proceedings were separate from the criminal allegations against Modi and did not deal with the wider Punjab National Bank fraud case.
Modi continues to face three sets of criminal proceedings in India.
The CBI’s case relating to the alleged Punjab National Bank fraud, the Enforcement Directorate’s money laundering investigation arising from the same allegations, and a third case involving alleged interference with evidence and witnesses.
With the reported rejection of his plea before the European Court of Human Rights, the final legal obstacle to his extradition has now been removed.
According to sources, only administrative formalities remain before the UK authorities hand the fugitive businessman over to India.
