Overview
- Patel, who signed Nirav Modi’s 2021 extradition order as home secretary, told a Telegraph podcast in late July 2026 that India deliberately slowed identity checks and refused charter flights to pressure the UK.
- Nirav Modi remains held in Pentonville prison in London despite the 2021 extradition approval and reported exhaustion of his UK legal appeals and a final European challenge.
- Home Office figures to March 2026 show that of 3,089 Indian nationals placed in immigration detention only 737 were returned to India, a statistic Patel cited as evidence of stalled removals.
- Modi faces multiple Indian prosecutions tied to the Punjab National Bank fraud and alleged money‑laundering, and reports say his legal defence and detention have incurred substantial legal and public costs.
- The dispute over high‑profile extraditions has strained UK‑India cooperation on removals and could affect future verification and return operations, with reporting saying Modi’s extradition is viewed as imminent but not yet executed.