UK Court terms Markandey Katju’s testimony in Nirav Modi trial unreliable

While ordering the extradition of Nirav Modi on Thursday, the District Judge at Westminster Magistrates’ Court Sam Goozee said that the testimony of former Supreme Court judge Markandey Katju was not reliable and had “hallmarks of an outspoken critic with his own personal agenda”.

Katju last year appeared in the Westminster court as an expert defending Nirav Modi saying the fugitive jeweller would not receive a fair trial in India.

In his judgment, a copy of which has been reviewed by HT, Judge Sam Goozee said: “I attach little weight to Justice Katju’s expert opinion. Despite having been a former Supreme Court judge in India until his retirement in 2011, his evidence was in my assessment less than objective and reliable. His evidence in Court appeared tinged with resentment towards former senior judicial colleagues. It had hallmarks of an outspoken critic with his own personal agenda.”

The Judge further said that he found Katju’s “evidence and behaviour in engaging the media the day before giving evidence to be questionable”.

In his testimony, Katju said in the court that India was in a poor economic condition, that Nirav Modi was a scapegoat being blamed for causing a financial crisis in India. He added that the Indian Supreme Court had become subservient to the Indian government.

The former Supreme Court judge could not be reached for comment.