'Adequate food, attached toilet': How India plans to keep Mehul Choksi in Mumbai jail; MHA gives formal assurance to Belgium

NEW DELHI: The ministry of home affairs has provided formal assurance regarding the conditions for detaining Indian businessman Mehul Choksi, through a letter to Belgium's ministry of justice, should he be extradited from Belgium to India.Choksi, arrested in Belgium in April, and his nephew Nirav Modi are primary accused in the PNB fraud case involving fraudulent transactions of over Rs 13,000 crore.The government has provided Belgian authorities with specific operational guarantees regarding detention standards by detailing facility specifications, occupancy restrictions, medical provisions and monitoring systems.The MHA has designated Mumbai's Arthur Road Jail Barrack No. 12 for Choksi's detention. Each detainee receives three square metres of personal space, excluding furniture, adhering to CPT norms. The two-cell barrack, with a six-person capacity, is currently unoccupied.The facility provides sleeping arrangements including cotton mats, pillows, sheets and blankets, with beds available on medical recommendation. The cells feature ventilation, fans, regular cleaning, continuous water supply and attached sanitation facilities with flush toilets and wash basins."Detainees will receive adequate food three times daily, with accommodations for special dietary needs subject to medical approval. A jail canteen and provisions such as fruits and basic snacks are also available. Daily outdoor exercise is permitted in an open-to-sky yard, and indoor recreation includes board games and casual badminton. The jail also offers yoga, meditation, and access to a library and reading materials," stated the letter, quoted by ANI.Healthcare includes round-the-clock medical facilities with six medical officers and support staff. A 20-bed prison hospital provides ICU services, with emergency referrals possible to nearby Sir J.J. Group of Hospitals. Private medical care is permitted at personal expense, with consideration for pre-existing conditions.Barrack No. 12, exclusively for non-violent offenders, remains separate from the main prison and under CCTV surveillance. Inmates receive legal access, family visits and communication facilities.The detailed assurances, developed with Maharashtra Government and prison authorities, outline specific safeguards addressing human rights concerns in the extradition process.The assurances relate to India's extradition request in a CBI case. Choksi faces charges under multiple sections of Indian law, including IPC Sections 120-B, 409, 420, 477A, 201, and relevant sections of POCA, 1988.The MHA presents these assurances as binding sovereign commitments, developed with state authorities and immune to administrative or judicial alterations under Indian law.Oversight includes prison administration monitoring, human rights commission inspections and judicial supervision, with established complaint procedures.Staff undergo extensive training, including six-month guard programmes and year-long officer inductions, incorporating stress management techniques.These detailed assurances aim to demonstrate compliance with international human rights standards, particularly regarding prevention of mistreatment under Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights.Belgian courts will evaluate these assurances alongside legal requirements. Upon approval, Choksi could face trial in India under the specified conditions.