Authorities have said an old one-storey building will be demolished to make way for this new block with at least a dozen cells and toilets
Taking offence to economic offender Vijay Mallya’s statements calling Indian prisons ‘pathetic’, Mumbai’s Arthur Road jail may soon set up a new block of cells that will meet international standards on prisoner rights, reported The Times of India.
The 93-year-old jail is located in the heart of Mumbai. Authorities have said an old one-storey building will be demolished to make way for this new block with at least a dozen cells and toilets. An official said the building should be ready in six months. These fugitive millionaires can be brought back then to face fraud trials.
An official told TOI that work has already been started by the public works department and quotations have been received for demolition of the building.
“The cells will meet European and UK prison standards and all human rights criteria,” he added. “As of now, we have limited cells that meet global standards. So we are going to build more modern cells for extradited smugglers and fraudsters accused of hiding abroad.”
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Fugitive Vijay Mallya has been using ‘poor jail conditions’ as an excuse to oppose extradition to India. Arthur Road has previously housed high-profile prisoners, like actors Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt, and since the UK court started hearing Mallya’s extradition case, some of the facilities have been refurbished to incorporate fans and TV, among others.
“There will only be a specific number of prisoners in these cells. They will be clean, have hygienic toilets, enough sun, light and space to move around,” the official said.
Arthur Road jail is overcrowded and has few facilities for prisoners’ well-being. With a capacity of just 800, it houses over 2,800 prisoners. It is important for the jails to be up to date with international requirements of rights of detainees, the condition of jails etc. since the cases of these fugitives are playing out in international courts.