- India assures adequate food, 24x7 medical care, and hygiene for Mehul Choksi in custody
- Centre says Choksi will be lodged in barrack no 12 of Arthur Road jail, Mumbai, with proper bedding
- He will have access to exercise, recreation, clean water, and special dietary provisions, India has said
Adequate food, 24x7 medical care and hygienic sanitation facilities are some of the assurances India has listed in its extradition request to bring businessman Mehul Choksi to the country for trial in the Rs 12,000-crore Punjab National Bank fraud case.
In April, 66-year-old Choksi was arrested in Belgium's Antwerp. His lawyers have argued that he suffers from serious health problems, including cancer, and should not be kept in custody.
In a letter to Belgian authorities, the Ministry of Home Affairs has shared details about the cell Choksi will be kept in after he is brought to India. It has said that the businessman would be lodged in barrack no 12 in Arthur Road jail complex in Mumbai.
"That the detention cell in which he is to be kept has provision of providing clean thick cotton mat (can be broadly termed as mattress also), pillow, bed-sheet & blanket. However, a metal frame/wooden bed can be provided on medical grounds. Adequate light and ventilation, and storage for permitted personal belongings are available," it says.
The letter adds that Choksi will have sufficient access to clean drinking water and round-the-clock medical facilities. It also states he will receive adequate food and be permitted out of his cell for exercise and recreation for more than an hour daily.
Cells at the Mumbai jail are swept and mopped daily and hygiene in maintained, the Home Ministry has said in the letter.
"Mumbai is a coastal city with a tropical climate with distinct wet and dry seasons. The weather of Mumbai is generally pleasant year-round and doesn't get extreme. Therefore, there is no requirement for heating in the cell. There is no air conditioning provided and generally not required in Mumbai's climate," the letter adds.
"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," the letter said.
The hospital has six medical officers, nursing orderlies, pharmacists, and laboratory support, the letter said. "There is a 20 bed fully equipped medical facility containing ECG etc within Arthur Road Jail and this is further supported by a full-scale Government hospital located less than 3 km away from the jail. The Prison hospital has 2 general wards with a capacity of 20 beds, 1 psychiatry ward, 1 TB ward and a dental facility. Prison has an in-house ambulance. Mehul Choksi will be sent for regular specialist consultation at the government hospital, if required," the letter said.
The detailed framework was shared to help Belgian courts evaluate of the detention conditions Choksi would face in India meet international human rights standards. Such assurances are common during extradition proceedings.
Belgian courts will assess these assurances. If they find the arrangements sufficient and legal conditions for extradition are met, Choksi could be handed over to India for the trial in the CBI case.
