Former UK Home Secretary Priti Patel has revealed that India reportedly declined to accept illegal migrants from Britain, using the issue as leverage during protracted negotiations over the extradition of fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi.
Patel, who served as Home Secretary between 2019 and 2022, stated in The Daily Telegraph's "The Diamond King" podcast that she faced "a hell of a challenge" in persuading New Delhi to cooperate on migrant returns. She asserted that India's stance was directly linked to the UK's failure to expedite Modi's return, creating "some leverage over us, which was terribly frustrating."
Modi's Continued Presence in UK Criticized
Despite approving Modi's extradition order in April 2021 after British courts found a case against him, Patel expressed profound disappointment that he remains in the UK. "If our system were judicious and doing the right thing... he should not be in this country," she remarked, adding that his continued presence likely demoralizes the Indian government regarding cooperation with the UK.
"Modi should be in prison in India and serving his time there, having gone through a legal process, which is exactly what UK extradition laws and treaties are about," Patel emphasized, calling the situation a "flagrant abuse of our system" and an "insult to British taxpayers."
Nirav Modi Extradition Nears Conclusion
Nirav Modi, the alleged mastermind behind the nearly $2 billion Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud and money laundering case, has been held at London's Pentonville Prison since March 2019. Indian authorities seek his extradition on charges brought by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED), along with accusations of evidence tampering.
British courts have consistently sided with India, ruling that there is sufficient evidence for Modi to face trial. However, his return has been delayed by a series of legal challenges, including appeals based on human rights concerns and a confidential asylum application. Recent reports indicate he lost his final appeal before the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) and had a High Court application dismissed in March this year.
With virtually no significant legal avenues remaining, Modi's extradition to India is widely anticipated as the next step in this high-profile case, which has been a sensitive point in India-UK diplomatic relations for years.