Mallya plea: No natural light in Arthur Road jail

JUDGE CALLS FOR FRESH VIDEO SHOT IN AFTERNOON

A UK court on Tuesday asked the Indian authorities to submit within three weeks a video of a cell at the Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai where they proposes to lodge Vijay Mallya post-extradition.

Judge Emma Arbouthnot, who is presiding over Mallya's extradition case, said she could not accept the photographs of Barrack 12 that Indian officials have provided to the court.

The judge asked officials to shoot the video in daylight so that it is clear if the cell would get any natural light or not.

‘‘I want to see whether the windows pick up any natural light," the judge said.

Mallya's defence team had argued that photographs submitted by India showed "no natural light in the cell and no fresh air". Lawyer Clare Montgomery also alleged that the photos were taken using a technique to show light within the building. "How will the sun get through this huge wall," she asked.

Indian representative told the court that the photos proved that jail conditions complied with the guidelines of the Human Rights Commission. Mallya would be put up in barracks with fresh air and light, a private western-style toilet facility and clean bedding, said Mark Summers, the lawyer representing the government. It also argued that since photographic evidence was being presented, there was no need for an inspection.

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 were "completely false."

"At the end of the day, the courts will decide," he told reporters outside the court.

If the judge rules in favour of the Indian government, the UK home secretary will have two months to sign Mallya's extradition order. However, both sides will have the chance to appeal in higher courts in the UK against the Magistrates' Court verdict.

In the 26 years of the extradition treaty, the UK has accepted only one request for extradition of a fugitive. All other requests remain pending till date. The only person to have been extradited to India is Samirbhai Vinubhai Patel. He was wanted in one of the 2002 Gujarat riots cases. The UK government extradited Patel in October 2016.