Mallya against staying in Mumbai's Arthur Road Jail if extradited, court demands video of prison

Mallya's defence team has disputed the fraud allegations and also submitted further written material from a UK-based prisons expert, challenging some of the photographs of Barrack 12 of Mumbai Central Prison on Arthur Road, where Mallya is to be held if he is extradited from the UK.

Image: ANI

New Delhi: During his extradition trial today in London Westminster Court, the defence team of fugitive Vijay Mallya who is fighting extradition to India, challenged the prison conditions of Mumbai Jail where he is to be kept after extradition. The court set September 12 for closing arguments in his high-profile trial and asked Indian authorities to present a video of the jail within three weeks. In the hearing today, the focus was reportedly limited to jail's living conditions. The British courts have a duty to ensure that the person extradited should not face human rights breach inside the jail. Both defence and prosecution presented clarifications on Barrack 12 at Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai, where Mallya is to be held post-extradition. Mallya who is facing fraud charges, has been on bail on the extradition warrant since his arrest in April last year. Mallya's defence team, which is headed by barrister Clare Montgomery, has disputed the fraud allegations and also submitted further written material from UK-based prisons expert Dr Alan Mitchell, challenging some of the photographs of Barrack 12 of Mumbai Central Prison on Arthur Road, where Mallya is to be held if he is extradited from the UK. Earlier, Mallya had reportedly expressed apprehensions that he will not be safe in Indian jails if sent back home. The court asked the Indian authorities to submit within three weeks a video of a cell at the Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai where they plan to keep Vijay Mallya post-extradition. Mallya who is wanted in India on fraud charges, appeared before the Westminster Magistrates' Court in London where both defence and prosecution presented clarifications on Barrack 12 at Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai. After hearing the arguments, Judge Emma Arbuthnot asked the Indian authorities to submit within three weeks a video of the Barrack 12 of the Arthur Road Jail. The Judge set the next hearing, for closing submissions, on September 12 and extended Mallya's bail until then. Earlier, Mallya said the allegations of money laundering and stealing money against him are "completely false." "At the end of the day, the courts will decide," he told reporters outside the court.

Full sum is to be determined. Assets can’t be attached for the complaints filed by banks. They can’t be sold. Let judiciary decide what’s right: Vijay Mallya after being granted bail by London's Westminster Magistrates Court in the extradition case pic.twitter.com/lVCFb135Xu

— ANI (@ANI) July 31, 2018

The 62-year-old former Kingfisher Airlines boss, who has been on bail on an extradition warrant since his arrest in April last year, is fighting extradition to India on charges of fraud and money laundering amounting to around Rs 9,000 crores. (with inputs from PTI)