Former SC Judge Markandey Katju to depose in UK Court against extradition of Nirav Modi to India

Justice Markandey Katju, a former judge of the Supreme Court of India and Chairman for the Press Council of India will depose as a witness in a court in the United Kingdom against the extradition of fugitive economic offender Nirav Modi to India.

He would be testifying tomorrow (via video conferencing) before London's Westminster Magistrates' Court as a witness for Nirav Modi. However he would not be commenting on the merits of the case and will only say that he (Nirav Modi) will not get justice in India.

Justice Katju said that he will oppose the Government of India's plea for extradition on the ground that Nirav Modi was unlikely to receive a "free and fair trial in India."

According to the written submission filed by him in the case, Modi was subjected to "media trial" in India and that in such a "hostile atmosphere", it is unlikely that he would receive a free and fair trial in India.

He added that Nirav Modi has already been "convicted" by the Indian media and the current establishment and said that the Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, in one of his press conferences, has already labelled Nirav Modi as a "criminal".

Justice Katju has alleged that the Indian judiciary is being "subservient" to the Narendra Modi government. "How can a Law Minister declare anyone as a criminal? Only a Court of law can do that.

Attacking the Indian judiciary, Justice Katju also said the Indian judiciary is "committed" to the Executive and a fair trial of Nirav Modi is not expected in India. He added that he will tell before the UK Court that Nirav Modi is likely to be made a "scapegoat" by the Indian Government for the drop in economic growth.

To corroborate his claim, Justice Katju has referred to a press conference held by four senior Supreme Court Judges in January 2018 against the then Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra wherein the Judges had raised serious issues of judicial impropriety. Justice Katju said that he has given a number of instances to buttress his claim that the Indian judiciary is "no longer independent". 

Justice Katju, has however clarified that he would not make any comments on the merits of the case of Nirav Modi as to whether Nirav is guilty or not since he (Justice Katju) is unaware of the facts of the case.