Corona, suicide and politics -Advocate moves to save Nirav Modi

The lawyer, who is facing trial in London against extradition to India, has moved a new bet by the lawyer of diamond businessman Nirav Modi. The lawyer questioned the maintenance of Indian prisons. In British court, Nirav Modi's lawyer, Clare Montgomery, claimed that there was unlikely to be a fair trial against his client there. He also said that due to lack of adequate medical facilities in Indian jails there is also a risk of suicide.

Modi committed almost two billion dollar fraud with Punjab National Bank (PNB). Various investigative agencies in India have registered cases against him. Modi's aide Mehul Choksi is also wanted in India in this case. India is seeking extradition of the wanted accused through the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) of Britain.

Justice Samuel Goozee was taken through official Indian prisons data, including statistics on coronavirus cases at Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai where Modi is to be held if he is extradited.

Clare Montgomery, Nirav's barrister also laid out her plans to depose further expert witnesses during the course of week.

"There has been a significant decline in the integrity of the justice system in India… and the Nirav Modi case has been made a political issue, with no presumption made of innocence,” Montgomery told the court.

She claimed that because the jeweller had been made into a "hate figure" in India, there was an "overwhelming political necessity" to condemn him and see him convicted.