A team from Britain’s Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) recently inspected Tihar Jail in the national capital, according to prison sources cited by news agency ANI. The visit comes as India steps up efforts to bring back fugitives like Nirav Modi, with the government seeking to assure the United Kingdom (UK) that those extradited will be housed in safe conditions.
According to ANI, the primary objective of the government is to demonstrate that Tihar can provide a secure and humane environment for high-profile accused. In the past, British courts had rejected India’s extradition petitions in some cases, citing jail conditions.
To address this, the Indian government has given the UK a guarantee that no accused will be “illegally interrogated” in jail. During their visit, the CPS team inspected the high-security ward of Tihar and spoke with prisoners. Officials also conveyed that, if needed, a special “enclave” could be built within the jail premises to house high-profile accused safely, ANI reported.
At present , 178 extradition requests from India are pending abroad, with around 20 in the United Kingdom alone. These include cases involving arms dealers and individuals with alleged Khalistani links. Earlier in July, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri had said that the government continues to “make the case” for the extradition of fugitives from the United Kingdom as part of ongoing efforts to secure their return. Among the high-profile cases are that of liquor baron Vijay Mallya—accused in a Rs 9,000 crore bank loan default case—and fugitive businessman Nirav Modi, who is in UK custody over the Rs 13,800 crore Punjab National Bank fraud.
Declared a fugitive economic offender in December 2019, Nirav Modi was arrested in March that year. The UK High Court has already approved his extradition to India. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) registered a PMLA case against Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi in 2018, seizing multiple assets during the probe.
*With Agency Inputs
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
