Vijay Mallya raises Byculla jail murder to stall extradition

NEW DELHI: Fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya is learnt to have informed the Westminster’s court in London, which will hear his extradition case next week that a woman convict –

Manjula Shetye

was murdered by the jail staff inside

Byculla

jail on June 23, and this is one of the reasons why he shouldn’t be extradited to India.

Citing “torture in Indian jails” as a strong ground in his defence, Mallya has claimed that Shetye’s murder is the reality of jails in India and he fears for his life in case he is sent back, top sources told TOI.

While Indian government has already replied to Mallya’s claim, a fresh incident inside Tihar jail on November 21, in which 18 inmates were brutally thrashed by jail security personnel, has shocked the investigators trying to bring Mallya back from the UK.

ED and CBI officers feel that he will raise the Tihar incident as well in the court while he presents his defence but it shouldn’t affect their extradition case.

Recently a Westminster court had also refused to extradite another fugitive – Sanjeev Chawla, wanted in 2000 cricket match fixing scandal involving former South African captain Hansie Cronje, on the ground of poor conditions inside Tihar jail.

“While Byculla and Tihar incidents are minor bumps, it will not affect the overall extradition proceeding. The UK court will take into account a sovereign guarantee given by the government of India that Vijay Mallya would be kept in a safe jail environment at Arthur Road Jail,” said an officer.