A UK court has sought assistance from the Delhi High Court to record the statement of a Bank of India official in a civil lawsuit against fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi and his companies. The Delhi High Court has agreed to consider the request, which was routed through the Union Law Ministry on behalf of the UK Supreme Court’s King’s Bench Division.
The case relates to allegations of unpaid loans obtained through fraudulent letters of undertaking. Bank of India has initiated legal proceedings in the UK against Firestar Diamond FZE, Firestar International Private Limited, and Nirav Modi, alleging large-scale loan defaults.
As part of the evidence-gathering process, the UK court identified Animesh Barua, a Delhi-based Bank of India manager, as a key witness. Since Barua falls under the Delhi High Court’s jurisdiction, the request was forwarded to Indian authorities to record his testimony locally and transmit it to the UK court.
