Nirav Modi will be brought back to India, all steps being taken says MEA

New Delhi, Mar 10: i from the UK, the External Affairs Ministry said Saturday, asserting that the extradition request made to that country shows that India was aware he is there.

It also said the UK was considering India's request to extradite Modi, a diamantaire accused in the USD 2 billion Punjab National Bank scam.

MEA Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar, at a media briefing, said the fact that "we requested the UK government for extradition of Nirav Modi, means that we were aware that he is in UK otherwise we would not have made the request".

"Just because he has been spotted doesn't mean he can be immediately brought back to India as there is a process in place. We have made a request for extradition, it is for the UK government now to consider our request and respond to the demand of the CBI and ED for extradition," he said.

The government is taking all necessary steps for his extradition, Kumar said.

Responding to a question on the extradition request, the MEA spokesperson said the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had forwarded the request for his extradition in early August that was given to the UK side.

There was also a separate request from the CBI, which was forwarded to the UK side by end of August, Kumar said.

"What we have been told that both these requests are under the consideration of the British government," he said, asserting that at repeated intervals request for expediting the process have been made.

According to report in a British daily on Saturday, Modi is living in a swanky 8 million pound apartment in London's West End and is now involved in a new diamond business.

Modi, 48, is currently living in a three-bedroom flat occupying half of a floor of the landmark Centre Point tower block, where rent is estimated to cost 17,000 pounds a month, The Telegraph reported.

The revelation comes a day after Modi's 30,000 sq ft seaside mansion at Kihim beach in Maharashtra was demolished by authorities using explosives.

Despite his bank accounts being frozen by the Indian authorities and an Interpol red notice being issued for his arrest, Modi, a diamond jeweller whose designs have been worn by Hollywood stars, is now involved in a new diamond business based in London, the report said.

In a video posted by the newspaper, Modi can be seen sporting a handle-bar moustache and wearing an Ostrich Hide jacket, estimated to cost 10,000 pounds.

When journalists from the paper questioned him on various issues, including whether he has urged Britain to grant him asylum, Modi ducked them by saying, "Sorry, no comments".

A source told the the UK daily that Modi had been given a national insurance number by the Department for Work and Pensions, meaning he can legally work in Britain, and has used British bank accounts.