Mumbai : India has submitted the first official pictures of Mumbai’s Arthur Road Jail, specifically Barrack No 12, to Belgian authorities, where fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi will be held once extradited. The images were sent as part of India’s official response to counter Choksi’s claims that Indian prisons are overcrowded and unsafe.
According to the documents, Choksi will be housed in Barrack No 12 of Arthur Road Jail, Mumbai’s high-security prison that also holds 26/11 terrorist Ajmal Kasab’s cell. Choksi’s lawyers had argued before the Belgian court that India’s prisons are in poor condition and that the judiciary lacks independence. The court further noted that media coverage of large fraud cases is natural and does not imply bias or violation of fair trial rights. It added that Choksi had failed to produce any evidence suggesting he would face torture, unfair trial, or denial of medical care in India.
The government assured that Choksi’s rights and health will be protected. The Arthur Road Jail, it said, meets international standards for detention and provides necessary medical support. The person will reside exclusively in Barrack No. 12 and will only be moved for medical reasons or court hearings. He will be at the disposal of the judicial courts in India, not the investigating agency, India’s note mentioned.
Choksi’s lawyers had argued before the Belgian court that India’s prisons are in poor condition and that the judiciary lacks independence. However, the court dismissed these claims, observing that, “Reports submitted by the person concerned relate to unrelated cases such as Sikh activism and Tihar Jail, and do not prove that Choksi faces any personal risk of injustice or mistreatment in India.”’
The court further noted that media coverage of large fraud cases is natural and does not imply bias or violation of fair trial rights. It added that Choksi had failed to produce any evidence suggesting he would face torture, unfair trial, or denial of medical care in India. In its submission, the government assured that Choksi’s rights and health will be protected. The Arthur Road Jail, it said, meets international standards for detention and provides necessary medical support.
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