Arthur Road jail readies special cell to lodge Nirav Modi
(Sourced from PTI)
With a UK court ruling in favor of extradition of fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi, wanted in India on charges of fraud and money laundering in Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam case, Mumbai's Arthur Road jail has kept a special cell ready to lodge him, an official said on Friday. "Preparations for lodging Modi in the jail have been completed," the jail official said.
The jail official said, "Once Nirav Modi is brought to Mumbai, he will be kept in one of the three cells of barrack number 12, which is a high-security barrack. The prison cell is ready for him, whenever he is extradited."
In a comprehensive extradition win for the Indian authorities, a UK judge ruled on Thursday that Modi not only has a case to answer in the Indian courts but that there is no evidence to suggest he would not receive a fair trial in India. Modi lost his nearly two-year-long legal battle against extradition on all grounds.
The 49-year-old jeweler has been repeatedly denied bail due to the seriousness of the allegations against him and remains behind bars in a London prison since his arrest in March 2019. Notably, the Maharashtra prisons department had in 2019 shared information with the Centre about the status of the prison and facilities for lodging Modi.
"The Centre had sought information about it from the State Home Department as extradition proceedings for Modi had then advanced before the Westminster Magistrates Court in the UK," the official said. The state government had submitted a letter of assurance to the Centre about the facilities, which they can provide inside the prison.
The prison department had assured that Modi will be kept in a cell with few detainees. "If lodged in the barrack, Modi is likely to get three square meters of personal space, where a cotton mat, pillow, bedsheet, and blanket will be provided," the official said. "The prison department assured adequate light, ventilation, and storage for personal belongings," he said.
