India, Aug. 2 -- Nirav Modi, wanted in India to face trial in connection with a$2 billion Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud and money laundering case, has joined the chess club in his south-west London prison, a UK court was told this week.

The 55-year-old jeweller is lodged back at HMP Wandsworth - where he was originally held following his arrest in March 2019 - before being moved to HMP Thameside and then HMP Pentonville, causing significant disruption to ongoing civil court claims unrelated to the extradition proceedings.

At a hearing on Friday concerning the sale of a luxury apartment in central London linked with the businessman and held in a trust, it emerged that his scheduled appearance via videolink had been called off. "It is ...