Former UK Home Secretary Priti Patel has expressed frustration over the continued presence of fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi in the United Kingdom, saying she was "appalled and horrified" that he remains in the country despite signing his extradition order to India in 2021. Patel made the remarks during an episode of The Daily Telegraph's podcast series The Diamond King, where she also claimed that India's dissatisfaction over the delay had affected broader cooperation between the two countries on migration-related matters.
Patel, who served as the UK's Home Secretary from 2019 to 2022 and is currently the Conservative Party's shadow foreign secretary, said she believed India's government was "hugely angry" over the prolonged delay in extraditing Modi. According to her, the British legal process had become entangled in lengthy procedures and appeals, preventing the implementation of an extradition order that followed a court's finding of a prima facie case against the businessman. She argued that the delay had undermined confidence in the UK's extradition system.
Speaking on the podcast, Patel also claimed that the unresolved Nirav Modi case complicated discussions with India on the return of visa overstayers and failed asylum seekers. She said Indian authorities were reluctant to cooperate fully while high-profile extradition cases remained unresolved. Patel stated that the issue created significant challenges during her tenure as Home Secretary, adding that India appeared to use the matter as leverage in broader bilateral negotiations. These remarks reflect Patel's views and have not been officially confirmed by the Indian or British governments.
Also Read: European Human Rights Court Ruling Clears Way For Nirav Modi's Extradition
Nirav Modi is wanted in India in connection with multiple criminal proceedings, including a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) case related to the alleged ₹13,000 crore (approximately USD 2 billion) Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud, an Enforcement Directorate (ED) money laundering investigation and a separate case alleging interference with evidence and witnesses. Indian authorities have consistently sought his extradition to face trial on these charges, all of which he has denied through legal proceedings.
The 55-year-old remains lodged at Pentonville Prison in London while legal proceedings continue. He has exhausted several avenues of appeal in the UK, including challenges based on human rights grounds, and has reportedly also failed in an application before the European Court of Human Rights. Earlier this year, the High Court in England rejected his attempt to reopen the extradition proceedings after reports that a confidential asylum claim had also been denied.
Patel said Nirav Modi should be extradited to India to face the judicial process, describing the prolonged delays as an abuse of the UK's legal system and an unnecessary burden on British taxpayers. Although India's request for extradition has already been approved through multiple stages of the British legal process, the final transfer has been delayed due to ongoing legal challenges. Both Indian and UK authorities have maintained that the matter remains subject to judicial procedures, with Modi's extradition expected once all remaining legal formalities are completed.
Also Read: European Human Rights Court Ruling Clears Way For Nirav Modi's Extradition