(Image source from: News24online.com)

A group from the British Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) recently went to Tihar jail in Delhi to check on the living conditions of the inmates and the safety within the prison. Sources indicate that this visit was part of India’s ongoing attempts to extradite runaway economic criminals like liquor mogul Vijay Mallya, diamond dealer Nirav Modi, and arms consultant Sanjay Bhandari, who are in the UK. British courts have raised concerns about the state of prisons in India while dealing with extradition cases. The group consisted of four officials, including two from the British High Commission, and they visited Jail No. 4 in Tihar, where they looked at high-security areas and spoke with inmates, according to an official. Jail No. 4 is where first-time offenders are kept. The visit was arranged in advance; the officials arrived on July 16 and spent several hours at the jail, as sources mentioned.

Sources revealed that officials at Tihar assured the CPS team that they would provide proper care for the prisoners who might be extradited. "The team suggested that a special area might be created for these high-profile inmates, if necessary. These areas would separate them from other inmates," a source stated. "The team also observed the conditions of the prisoners," the source added. In recent times, incidents of gang fights, murders, and attacks on inmates by others in Tihar Jail have raised major concerns about the safety of the prisoners in the facility. In 2023, two well-known gang members, Tillu Tajpuria and Prince Tewatia, were killed in Tihar by rival gangs. Delhi Prisons has 16 jails, including Rohini and Mandoli, which house more than 19,000 inmates—almost double the allowed capacity.

Recent information from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) shows that as of 2024, India has made 178 requests to different countries for the extradition of fugitives, including those connected to terrorist acts in the country, since January 1, 2019. Out of these 178 requests, 20 individuals are located in the UK, including some Khalistani operatives. As of December 10, 2024, the MEA reported that 23 people have been successfully extradited since the beginning of 2019. In July, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's two-day trip to the UK, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri stated that the Indian government is collaborating "very closely" with the UK to bring back Mallya, Nirav Modi, and former IPL chairman Lalit Modi to India.