UK Judge rejects former Judges opinion in Nirav Modi case

The UK judge has exposed the former Supreme Court judge Markandey Katju.The District Judge at Westminster Magistrates’ Court Sam Goozee said that the testimony ofJustice Katju was not reliable and had “hallmarks of an outspoken critic with his own personal agenda”.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.”he said. 
the Judge observed that Justice Katju made bold assertions about corruption across the judiciary in India and that the Supreme Court had surrendered itself to the executive. Justice Katju himself secured appointment by the Government to Chairman of the Press Council of India following his own retirement, he noted. Rejecting his contention, Judge Sam Goozee said in judgement– “Despite making commentary about the fairness of any trial process in India, he accepted on a number of occasions in cross-examination that he had not considered the evidence and it is evident from his report he certainly had not considered the full requests from the Government of India”.
The court further said - “Despite being highly critical of the ‘trial by media’ and its impact on Nirav Modi’s case, he (Katju) took the astonishing decision to brief journalists in relation to the evidence he was giving in these proceedings, creating his own media storm and adding to the heightened media interest to date.”In his testimony, Katju had said in the court that India was in terrible economic collapse and the (ruling) BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) were trying to solve the problem but they did not know how to, so they found scapegoats and Nirav Modi is a scapegoat for causing financial crisis in India. 

The UK Court also rejected the expert opinion given by Justice Abhay Thipsay, former judge of the Bombay High Court, regarding the non-applicability of the offence of cheating against Nirav Modi."I attach no weight to his opinions set out in his reports and in oral testimony", the Court said.Justice Thipsay had refused to give further evidence in the proceedings after his participation in the case drew criticism from the Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. Therefore, the Court said that his evidence could not be subjected to scrutiny.
"I do not concern myself with political commentary and opinions of politicians in India about Justice Thipsay's evidence. However, Justice Thipsay is a retired High Court Judge in India, giving evidence as an expert in this extradition request on behalf of NDM. He is aware of the nature and interest in these proceedings. He would equally be aware of his own political connections to Congress which it transpires he joined after his retirement. Justice Thipsay refused to give live evidence when the extradition hearing resumed. Justice Thipsay is a retired judge who has aligned himself with a political party on his retirement and received adverse commentary in the media. However, he also engaged and courted with the media himself, he observed.