State prisons department prepares Arthur Road jail in Mumbai for Nirav Modi’s possible extradition from UK

By

Isabelle Crossley

Published
Jun 11, 2019

Barrack 12 of Mumbai’s Arthur Road Jail has been selected to house accused jeweller Nirav Modi should he be extradited to India, the state prisons department has informed the central government. 

Should Modi be extradited to India to stand trial for his accused fraud at the Punjab National Bank, he will be housed in Barrack 12, Arthur Road jail, the Mumbai Mirror reported. This is the same barrack of the jail that is proposed to house accused businessman Vijay Mallya who is also in the middle of extradition proceedings in the UK. 

The state department provided further details on the jail as requested by the central government. The authorities representing the Indian government’s interests at Modi’s upcoming extradition hearing will provide the UK court with this information to show that Modi would be treated humanely should be extradited.

State government sources told the Mumbai Mirror that the state prison department issued a letter of assurance on June 10 stating that Modi would be given a minimum of three square metres of personal space in the jail. The barrack where Modi is proposed to be housed has a capacity of three people and would also house Vijay Mallya is he is extradited as well as Mod’s uncle and fellow accused in the PNB fraud, Mehul Choksi.

“The detention cell in which he is to be kept has provision of providing clean thick cotton mat, pillow, bedsheet and blanket,” an official told the Mumbai Mirror. “A metal frame/ wooden bed can be provided on medical grounds. Adequate light, ventilation and storage for permitted personal belongings is available. In detention, Modi will have access to clean drinking water supply each day and adequate medical facilities are available round-the-clock. Modi will have access to adequate toilet and washing facilities each day.”