(Image source from: Odishatv.in)

Fugitive Indian diamantaire Nirav Modi arrested in London on Tuesday to be produced in court later today.

According to the reports, “Nirav Deepak Modi, 48 (Date of Birth 24.02.71), was arrested on behalf of the Indian authorities on Tuesday in Holborn. He will appear in custody at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday,” the Metropolitan Police said in a statement.

He is wanted in the Rs 13000 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam. The 48-year-old billionaire businessman had fled the country last year days before the detection of the PNB scam.

Reports says legal procedure of extradition of an accused takes its own time and Indian investigators, both from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED), are tracking the case.

Enforcement Directorate officials had said that “London court has issued an arrest warrant against Modi, the main accused in the Rs 13,000 crore PNB scam case, in response to the probe agency's request for his extradition in a money laundering case.”

He is expected to be produced before a district judge in the Westminister magistrates court in London to formally be charged and later he is expected to seek bail.

As the case will follow a similar pattern as that of Vijay Mallya who was arrested in April 2017 on fraud and money laundering charges but remains on bail thereafter.

Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said, You can run, but cannot hide from the country's #Chowkidar. As wheels of justice grind, after Vijay Mallya, fugitive Nirav Modi has been arrested in London. Clear sign that this is not the India which will allow economic offenders to loot the country & evade the long arm of law.”

Reacting to news, Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said, “They (BJP) had only helped him flee the country, now they are bringing him back. They are bringing him back for the elections, they will send him back after elections.

By Sai Kumar