\'No ground at all\' to believe Mallya faces any risk in Mumbai jail: UK court

'No ground at all' to believe Mallya faces any risk in Mumbai jail: UK court

Press Trust of India  |  London 

There was "no ground at all" to believe that faces any risk in which has been recently "redecorated", a said Monday, rejecting the liquor baron's attempts to show Indian prisons in a bad light and ordered his

The ordered Mallya's extradition, in a major boost to India's efforts to bring back the fugitive wanted for alleged fraud and money laundering charges amounting to an estimated Rs 9,000 crores.

The court dismissed the defence's attempts to dispute Indian prison conditions as a bar to his on human rights grounds, saying the video of the Barrack 12 of Mumbai's Arthur Road Jail, where would be held, "gives accurate portrayal and has been recently redecorated".

"He will have access to personal medical care to manage his diabetes and coronary problems... There was no ground at all to believe that he faces any risk at all (in jail)," the ruled.

Delivering the verdict, she said that there was "no sign of a false case being mounted against him".

"Having considered evidence as a whole. There is a case to answer," Arbuthnot said as she ruled that could be extradited to to stand trial on the charges brought by the

Addressing the jail conditions in particular, the judge expressed her satisfaction with the evidence provided by the Indian government, describing the video of Barrack 12 at as an accurate portrayal of the conditions which will apply to Mallya.

However, the court made a specific reference to special medical conditions being made available to the businessman, who is described as "far from healthy".

"A spell in custody is likely to help him cut down on alcohol. A regular exercise routine will need to be worked out by his doctors to keep him healthy. I noted that he is taking a whole range of medications, which the GOI (government of India) will ensure he has access to," the judge said.

She made it clear that the assurances provided by the on prison conditions should not be breached because arrangements work on the basis of trust and any failure to abide by the assurances would "doubtlessly" affect the trust between the court and the government.

"I have no reason at all to think that the GOI would want to breach that trust," she said.

Mallya, wanted in on charges of fraud and money laundering amounting to around Rs 9,000 crore, had been on bail since his arrest on an extradition warrant in April last year.

After being extradited, Mallya will be lodged in one of the high security barracks located in a two-storey building inside the prison complex, which also housed 26/11 attack terrorist Mohammad Ajmal Kasab, a prison said in

A high security cell has been kept ready at the jail located in central Mumbai, he said.

"We are fully prepared to lodge him safely at our correction centre. If he is brought here, we will take care of his safety and security," the said.

An from the earlier said was one of the best in the country.

The comments had come after the the UK judge asked Indian authorities to submit a video of the Arthur Road Jail cell where they plan to keep Mallya following his extradition.

The official said that adequate medical facilities were available to treat prisoners in the jail where Mallya would a get full security cover as an under-trial prisoner and it was highly secured in accordance with international standards.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Mon, December 10 2018. 21:20 IST