Jaysukh Ranpariya, wanted in India for murder and around 50 criminal offences, is set to face an extradition trial at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London in May next year.
The 41-year-old, also known as Jayesh Patel, has not made a bail application and remains in custody at Belmarsh prison in south-east London.
His next appearance in court via video link is scheduled for July 14, with a case management hearing set for January next year, the UK’s Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said this week.
"Mr Ranpariya's extradition hearing has been fixed for three weeks starting on 26 May 2022. Mr Ranpariya did not make a bail application and remains remanded in custody,” the CPS said.
“There will be a call over hearing on 14 July 2021. There is also a further case management hearing on 25 January [2022] when further directions will be considered,” it said.
According to the Metropolitan Police in London, Ranpariya was arrested on March 16 in Sutton, south London, under an international arrest warrant issued the same day on behalf of the Indian authorities.
The UK received a provisional extradition request from the Indian authorities for Ranpariya on charges of conspiracy to murder dating back to April 2018.
The Interpol had issued a Red Corner Notice against Ranpariya to alert countries to take him into custody as the Gujarat police sought to trace and arrest the fugitive as part of its inquiries into crimes dating back over three years.
At a previous hearing in the case, the CPS, appearing on behalf of the Indian authorities, told District Judge Timothy Godfrey that the accused is wanted in India for a “pre-planned conspiracy” to hire a contract killer for ₹3 crore for the murder of prosecuting lawyer Kirit Joshi in April 2018.
The court also heard that at the time of Ranpariya’s arrest in March in London, he was found in possession of “several fraudulent identity documents and bank cards”.
While he made no application for bail, the CPS had said it will be opposing bail on the grounds that he would fail to surrender and that he has no community ties in Britain – where he has been living by himself, as his wife remains in India.
A more detailed warrant of charges against Ranpariya is expected to cover his alleged links to organised crime groups in India.
He is contesting his extradition and will remain in judicial custody and produced via videolink every 28 days until the full hearing in May next year.
