PTI, LONDON: A UK court today asked the Indian authorities to submit a video within three weeks of Mumbai’s Arthur Road Jail cell where they plan to keep Vijay Mallya post-extradition, as it set September 12 as the date for closing arguments in his high-profile extradition trial.
During a brief hearing today, Judge Emma Arbuthnot said she was not able to hear the case fully and just addressed representations from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), representing the Indian government, and Mallya’s defence team on the conditions at Barrack 12 of Mumbai Central Prison.
She asked the Indian authorities to submit a “step by step video” of Barrack 12 for “the avoidance of doubt” over the availability of natural light in the cell where the 62-year-old businessman is expected to be detained pre-trial, during trial and in the event he is convicted by the Indian courts.
“I would like a video of Barrack 12, to see where the windows are… shot maybe at mid-day with no artificial lighting,” the judge said, setting a three-week time-frame for the film to be provided to all parties in the case.
Mallya, who has been on bail on an extradition warrant since his arrest in April last year, is fighting extradition to India on charges of fraud and money laundering amounting to around Rs 9,000 crores.
As he arrived in court this morning for the hearing, he reiterated his offer to settle dues with the Indian courts.
“I have made a comprehensive offer to the Karnataka High Court to settle dues… the question of stealing money, money laundering are all blatantly false charges. Now that the assets are before the court, I am in the hands of the court; I hope this will all end,” he said.
“I have not included any clemency plea or plea bargain in my unconditional offer to the Karnataka High Court,” he added.
“At the end of the day, the courts will decide,” said Mallya, whose bail was extended until September 12, which has been set as the date for the next hearing when the judge is expected to hear closing submissions in the case before she can set a timeline for her verdict.
