The Westminster Magistrates’ Court in United Kingdom on Thursday extended the judicial custody of fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi till September 19, PTI reported. Modi has been in jail since March 19, when he was arrested in London for allegedly duping India’s Punjab National Bank of more than Rs 13,000 crore.

A short remand hearing was held via video link from Wandsworth prison, where Modi is lodged since his fourth attempt at seeking bail was rejected on June 12.

During a hearing on June 27, the court had agreed to do all it can to facilitate Modi’s access to documents related to his extradition case. His defence team had requested for a laptop so that Modi can review the Indian government’s 5,000-page case against him in prison.

In June, the Enforcement Directorate seized four Swiss bank accounts belonging to Modi and his sister Purvi Modi. The four bank accounts had a total of Rs 283.16 crore. Swiss authorities froze the accounts based on a request from the Enforcement Directorate, which said the money kept in them represented “proceeds of a crime”. The Swiss authorities froze the accounts under the criminal provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

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