“Self-Publicist”: Ex-Top Court Judge Challenged At Nirav Modi UK Hearing

London:

Retired Ideally suited Courtroom pass judgement on Markandey Katju used to be challenged as a “self-publicist” on behalf of the Indian executive on Friday as he gave proof within the extradition case of fugitive diamond service provider Nirav Modi by the use of a are living videolink from India at Westminster Magistrates’ Courtroom in London.

At the ultimate day of a five-day listening to, Justice Samuel Goozee heard Mr Katju’s detailed proof earlier than adjourning the case till November three, when he’ll pay attention arguments at the admissibility of the proof supplied by way of the Indian government at the fees of fraud and cash laundering in opposition to the diamond service provider within the USD 2-billion Punjab Nationwide Financial institution (PNB) rip-off case.

The United Kingdom’s Crown Prosecution Provider (CPS), arguing on behalf of the Indian executive, sought to counter Mr Katju’s written and oral claims that Nirav Modi would no longer obtain an even trial in India as a result of a majority of the judiciary used to be corrupt and the investigating businesses subservient to the federal government.

“Is it no less than conceivable, you might be one thing of a self-publicist who will make any outrageous statements for the aim of relationship the clicking,” wondered barrister Helen Malcolm, to which Mr Katju responded “you might be entitled in your opinion”.

Malcolm additionally queried his resolution to present media interviews in India previous this week associated with the proof he used to be to present earlier than the United Kingdom court docket in a sub judice topic, to which the previous Ideally suited Courtroom pass judgement on stated that he simply answered to newshounds’ questions and that it used to be his responsibility to talk out on issues of “nationwide significance”.

Throughout what become a somewhat a fiery alternate in court docket every now and then, a few of his previous debatable statements have been additionally learn out in court docket, in connection with homosexual relationships being “unnatural” and girls who stay unmarried being “liable to mental issues”.

Mr Katju countered by way of mentioning that he used to be entitled to his opinion and that he had quoted from Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw’s ‘Guy and Superman”, which Malcolm “as a Britisher” will have to have learn.

The previous pass judgement on have been deposed by way of Nirav Modi’s defence crew with the intention to substantiate their claims that the jeweller faces an unfair and biased trial if extradited to India.

Mr Katju additionally time and again made comparisons between India and Germany below the Nazi regime, announcing Nirav Modi has been made a “handy scapegoat” similar to the Jews in Nazi Germany with the intention to be blamed for the commercial disaster within the nation.

Requested by way of the if the diamantaire’s personal alleged cheating movements may well be accountable, he stated: “It’s not that i am making any statements at the deserves of this situation. I’m merely announcing that he can not get an even trial… all ministers and media have pronounced him to blame.”

His statement that post-retirement appointments have been a few of the inducements which ended in corruption amongst judges introduced his personal appointment because the Chairman of the Press Council of India following his retirement into center of attention, which he wired used to be no longer a central authority appointment.

“So, the three-member appointment committee – composed of the Speaker of the Decrease Space, Chairman of the Higher Space (Vice-President of India) and a Press Council member – are totally apolitical and not anything to do with the federal government,” queried Malcolm.

The listening to on Thursday concluded the majority of the oral proof within the extradition case, which used to be seen by way of Nirav Modi by the use of videolink from a room in Wandsworth Jail in London – the place he has been lodged since his arrest in March closing yr.

The primary set of hearings within the case happened in Might, with the hearings this week slotted to finish arguments to determine the 49-year-old jeweller has a case to respond to earlier than the Indian courts.

The defence crew, led by way of barrister Clare Bernard Law Montgomery, has sought not to most effective identify that Mr Modi’s movements associated with PNB-issued Letters of Endeavor (LoUs) didn’t quantity to fraud but in addition deposed witnesses to focus on his fragile psychological well being situation and a top chance of suicide.

They have got additionally claimed that the prerequisites at Barrack 12 in Arthur Highway Prison in Mumbai, the place he’s to be lodged on being extradited, don’t meet the court docket’s human rights standards.

The has set out the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) case of fraud and the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) case of the laundering of the ones fraudulently got finances.

It has additionally performed movies within the court docket in fortify of extra fees of disrupting the CBI’s investigation by way of inflicting the disappearance of proof and prison intimidation of witnesses.

Assurances of good enough jail prerequisites had been supplied by way of the Indian executive, that have been additional added to this week with an assurance of suitable psychological well being deal with Mr Modi on being extradited.

A listening to for ultimate submissions within the case is recently slated for December 1 however that date may be behind schedule, with a ruling within the case no longer anticipated earlier than the tip of this yr or early subsequent yr.