UK team inspects Delhi jail as India pursues extradition of fugitives

INDIA’s efforts to secure the extradition of high-profile economic offenders from the United Kingdom, including Nirav Modi and Vijay Mallya, have moved forward with a recent visit by a team from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to Tihar Jail in Delhi, an official said on Sunday (September 7).

The CPS delegation visited the prison last week to review jail conditions as required by UK courts before deciding on extradition requests, the official said.

India has been seeking the return of several fugitives wanted in cases ranging from bank fraud to arms smuggling.

Authorities have assured UK courts that individuals extradited to India will not be subjected to unsafe or inhumane conditions in custody.

According to the official, the CPS team toured the high-security section of Tihar and interacted with some inmates.

Jail authorities informed the delegation that if necessary, a separate unit could be set up within the prison to house high-profile accused, ensuring their safety and meeting international standards.

UK courts have previously rejected extradition requests from India citing concerns over prison conditions. New Delhi has since given assurances that the rights of the accused will be protected, with no scope for unlawful interrogation or mistreatment.

Mallya, accused of loan defaults of over about £756 million, has been living in the UK and is contesting extradition.

Nirav Modi, the main accused in about £1.15 billion Punjab National Bank fraud case, was declared a fugitive offender in 2019 and arrested in the UK the same year. His extradition has been approved by a London court, though appeals are still pending.

(With inputs from agencies)