Hearing on fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi's bail plea begins in London Court

Hearing on the bail plea of fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi has begun at the Westminster Magistrate Court here on Friday.

Nirav Modi, donning a mustache and a semi-beard, is present inside the court along with his lawyer Anand Doobay.

Indian agency officers from the CBI and the ED are also present in the court-room.

Before the hearing commenced, Toby Cadman, representing the Crown Prosecution on behalf of the Indian authorities in London's Westminster Magistrate court, told ANI, "In case Nirav Modi gets bail, we will appeal against it in the High Court. We will do everything to keep him in."

India is seeking Nirav Modi's extradition to make him face the law of the land for allegedly committing economic offences.

A joint team of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials arrived here on March 28 for the hearing.

This will be Modi's second attempt at securing a bail after his first request was turned down on March 20. Judge Marie Mallon had cited the "high value of amount involved in the allegations" as the reason behind the rejection of his bail plea.

Presiding over Modi's bail request is Judge Emma Arbuthnot, who in December last year ordered for Vijay Mallya's extradition to India to face charges of causing a loss of Rs 9,000 crore to a consortium of banks.

Also present in the court today is Chetan Choksi, brother of Mehul Choksi, who is accused of defrauding ICICI bank's UK branch of US $25 million back in 2013. Chetan Choksi is the owner of Antwerp-based diamond dealer Diminco NV.