Vijay Mallya’s prison cell has personal toilet, TV: UK court told

Mumbai: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has submitted before the UK court a video of cell 12 in Arthur Road Jail, where it plans to keep embattled businessman Vijay Mallya, who is wanted in India for economic crimes and is currently based in London.

According to reports, video of the cell number 12 shows that the cell contains personal toilet, washing area and TV set. It also has a courtyard.

The Indian authorities are trying to get Mr Mallya extradited to India. Recently, Vijay Mallya had complained to a UK court that there is no natural light and air in the Arthur Road Jail and jails of India are also unhygienic.

After Mr Mallya’s complaint the UK judge had asked Indian authorities to submit within three weeks a video of a cell at Mumbai’s Arthur Road Jail where they plan to keep Mr Mallya if he is extradited.

When contacted, CBI officials refused to comment on the issue. However, a television report quoted a senior officer saying, “The UK court wanted us to show if Indian jails are hygienic or not. We gave them a video as a proof of the hygiene in the jail. The barrack in which Mr Mallya would be kept is east-facing so it has lot of sunlight too.”

The senior official added, “The cell has two opposite side windows so ventilation won’t be a problem. The cell also opens to a courtyard.”

In the ongoing extradition proceedings, if the judge rules in favour of the Indian government, the UK home secretary would have two months to sign Mr Mallya’s extradition order.

However, both sides would have the chances to appeal to higher courts in the UK against the magistrates’ court verdict.

The Enforcement Directorate, along with the CBI, is probing the case of alleged bank fraud to the tune of about Rs 9,000 crore.