London court to see Mumbai jail video

The Westminster Magistrates Court hearing the case of Indian businessman Vijay Mallya will on Wednesday witness a video of the Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai, where he is to be lodged, if extradited, to face charges of financial offences running into thousands of crores.

The video, submitted by the Indian government recently, will be played out on the court’s TV screens at what is expected to be the final hearing in the extradition case that saw prison conditions emerge as one of the key factors in his extradition.

Poor prison conditions have been one of the main reasons for most of India’s extradition requests failing in British courts since the India-UK extradition treaty was signed in 1993. The courts have a duty to ensure that the person sought will not face the risk of human rights being breached.

As directed by the court at the last hearing on July 31, the video is intended to show ‘step-by-step’ the conditions of access to the barrack number 12 which has a capacity of six. It was also directed that the video be shot during mid-day, without artificial light.

Mallya’s legal team opposing the extradition had cited several alleged lapses in India’s prisons, based on evidence provided by expert Alan Mitchell.

The Union home ministry has submitted ‘sovereign assurances’ on behalf of the Indian state that Mallya will not face risk of violence, and also submitted detailed photographs showing the facilities that would be available.

LONDON: