Mallya case effect? India building better jails for fugitive millionaires

The largest and oldest prison in India’s financial hub Mumbai will get a new block of cells that will meet international norms on prisoner rights. The reason: fugitive businessmen are citing poor jail conditions to stave off extradition.

The Mumbai Central Prison, popularly known as the Arthur Road Jail, is demolishing an old structure to make way for the block, the Times of India newspaper reported, citing an official it did not identify. The government is in the process of improving standards of prisons across Maharashtra state in line with standards in the US and Europe, Rajvardhan, inspector general, prisons, said in a phone interview.

“We don’t want anyone saying they don’t want to come back to the country,” he said. The government doesn’t extend any “special treatment” to anyone, he said, declining to comment on facilities that will be provided.

UK court wants video of Mumbai jail where Vijay Mallya might be kept

A UK court on Tuesday asked the Indian authorities to submit within three weeks a video of a cell at the Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai where they plan to keep Vijay Mallya post-extradition, as it set September 12 for closing arguments in his high-profile extradition trial.

Mallya, wanted in India on fraud charges, appeared before the Westminster Magistrates' Court in London where both defence and prosecution presented clarifications on Barrack 12 at Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai, where Mallya is to be held post-extradition.

After hearing the arguments, Judge Emma Arbuthnot asked the Indian authorities to submit within three weeks a video of the Barrack 12 of the Arthur Road Jail.

The Judge set the next hearing, for closing submissions, on September 12 and extended Mallya's bail until then.

Earlier, Mallya said the allegations of money laundering and stealing money against him are "completely false."