Nirav Modi remanded to custody in UK prison till Oct 17

Fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi, wanted in India in connection with the nearly USD 2 billion Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud and money laundering case, was on Thursday further remanded to judicial custody until October 17.

Nirav, 48, appeared before the Westminster Magistrates’ Court via videolink from his London prison for a routine "call-over" remand hearing.

His trial is expected for May 11-15, 2020.

Nirav has been lodged at Wandsworth prison in south-west London, one of England's most overcrowded jails, since his arrest in March on an extradition warrant executed by Scotland Yard on charges brought by the Indian government, being represented by the UK's Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in court.

He was arrested by uniformed Scotland Yard officers on an extradition warrant on March 19 and has been in prison since.