Justice (retired) Deepak Verma, a former Supreme Court judge, has reportedly given an expert opinion supporting fugitive businessman Nirav Modi in his latest attempt to reopen extradition proceedings in London, HT reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
Verma is believed to have backed Modi’s request, in which the jailed businessman argued that if he were sent back to India, several investigating agencies could question him and he might not get a fair trial in the Indian courts, an official told the outlet.
Officials have expressed concern over his statement as it questions India’s jail conditions and judicial system. “The expert witness has questioned our jails and judicial system to back fugitive Modi’s case,” the investigating officer told HT.
Who is Justice Deepak Verma?
Justice Verma served as a Supreme Court judge and was also the Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court. He previously appeared as an expert witness for Vijay Mallya in a London bankruptcy case filed by Indian banks, led by the State Bank of India. Mallya lost that case earlier this year.
Justice Verma was born on August 28, 1947, in Jabalpur, pursued his early education at Christ Church, Mahakaushal High School and Model High School. He completed his LL.B. from Jabalpur University and was enrolled as an advocate in 1972, according to the Supreme Court’s website.
He built a distinguished career in civil law, practicing primarily under the guidance of his father, the late RP Verma, a renowned civil lawyer of his time. His judicial journey began in earnest when he was elevated to the bench in 1994. He served as the Administrative Judge of Indore until August 2005, after which he continued in the same role at the High Court of Madhya Pradesh in Jabalpur.
During this period, he was also appointed Welfare Commissioner for Bhopal Gas Victims, overseeing the disbursement of compensation. Under his leadership, nearly all eligible victims received their due compensation, with only a few remaining untraceable despite public notices.
India’s Assurance to the UK
The Indian government has sent a formal assurance to British authorities, stating that if Modi is extradited, he will only face trial in India and will not be interrogated or detained by any other agency. This assurance aims to address concerns raised by Modi’s legal team.
New Delhi has asked for Modi’s plea to be dismissed at the initial stage, maintaining that the extradition process has already reached the final stage after multiple court decisions in the UK.
A senior officer said authorities will “strongly oppose” Verma’s expert opinion in court. “All this is part of Nirav Modi’s last-minute attempt to save himself because he has no legal options left,” the officer added.
Nirav Modi’s bank fraud case
Nirav Modi is accused of defrauding Punjab National Bank (PNB) of Rs 6,498 crore, part of a larger Rs 13,578 crore scam linked to his uncle, Mehul Choksi. Modi has been in Wandsworth Prison, London, since March 2019 after his arrest by Scotland Yard following India’s extradition request.
On February 25, 2021, a district judge at Westminster Magistrates’ Court ordered Modi’s extradition. The decision was upheld by the UK High Court in November 2022, which also denied him permission to appeal further, exhausting his legal remedies.
Modi was declared a fugitive economic offender under India’s FEO Act, 2018. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached assets worth Rs 2,598 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and restored Rs 981 crore to defrauded banks.
Indian agencies are also pursuing legal steps in the UK to bring back overseas assets worth ₹130 crore linked to Modi. The government continues to assert that his extradition is final and binding under UK law.