UK’s Crown Prosecution Service visited Tihar Jail as India pushes for extradition of financial fugitives Vijay Mallya and Nirav Modi. India assured humane custody and secure conditions, addressing UK concerns.
New Delhi: A team from Britain’s Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) recently visited Tihar Jail in New Delhi as part of India’s ongoing efforts to persuade UK courts to approve the extradition of fugitives facing financial and criminal charges. According to reports, the CPS delegation toured Tihar’s high-security wards and interacted with inmates. Indian officials assured them that returned international fugitives would be housed in secure and humane conditions. They also indicated that a dedicated “enclave” could be created within the jail to accommodate high-profile prisoners, if necessary.
The move comes after British courts have previously raised concerns over prison conditions, which led to rejection of India’s extradition requests. To address these issues, India has pledged that no accused will face illegal interrogation while in custody. Currently, India has 178 pending extradition requests abroad, with nearly 20 in the UK, including high-profile cases such as liquor baron Vijay Mallya, accused of defaulting on over Rs 9,000 crore in loans, and diamond trader Nirav Modi, linked to the Rs 13,800 crore Punjab National Bank fraud. While Nirav Modi’s extradition was approved by the UK High Court, he remains in custody. In July, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri emphasized that India continues to urge British authorities to expedite the return of fugitives, assuring that all extradited individuals will be held in conditions meeting international standards.
The Nirav Modi and Vijay Mallya Case
Nirav Modi and Vijay Mallya are two of India’s most prominent economic fugitives, wanted for massive financial crimes and fraud. Nirav Modi, a diamond merchant, is accused of orchestrating a Rs 13,800 crore scam at Punjab National Bank, one of India’s largest banking frauds. He allegedly used fraudulent letters of undertaking to secure loans from overseas branches of Indian banks and siphoned off funds to finance his luxury lifestyle and global business ventures. Modi fled India in early 2018, eventually reaching the United Kingdom, where he remains in custody as the UK courts process his extradition.
Vijay Mallya, often called the “King of Good Times,” is a liquor baron and former Member of Parliament. He is accused of defaulting on over Rs 9,000 crore in loans taken by his defunct Kingfisher Airlines. Mallya left India in 2016 amid mounting debt and legal action and has been living in the UK. India has repeatedly sought his extradition, with courts there scrutinizing prison conditions and legal procedures before approving his return. Both cases have highlighted challenges in pursuing international financial fugitives, prompting India to assure authorities abroad that extradited individuals will be treated under humane and legal standards while emphasizing accountability for large-scale economic crimes.