Nirav Modi has lost the first stage of his extradition appeal in a London court just over two months after the wanted diamond merchant’s extradition to India was ordered by UK home secretary Priti Patel in the estimated $2-billion Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam case.

The case was before a high court judge for a decision “on the papers” submitted to determine if there are any grounds for an appeal against the home secretary’s decision on April 16 or the Westminster Magistrates Court’s February ruling in favour of Modi’s extradition to India to face charges of fraud and money laundering.

A high court official confirmed that the permission to appeal was “rejected on paper” on Tuesday.