India Guarantees Belgium for Decent Imprisonment Circumstances for Mehul Choksi, if Transferred
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has conveyed a detailed assurance note to the Belgian authorities regarding the detention conditions of Mehul Choksi, should he be extradited. The MHA has specified Barrack No. 12 at Mumbai's Arthur Road Jail as the designated site for Choksi's custody.
Barrack No. 12 is separated from the main jail complex and under constant CCTV surveillance, staffed by officers round the clock. The barrack can accommodate a maximum of six inmates, with two vacant cells currently available. Each detainee is promised at least three square metres of personal space, as per Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture norms.
Mehul Choksi faces charges under several sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. Complaints of mistreatment can be investigated with remedies provided where necessary. Oversight includes monitoring by prison officials, inspections by the National and State Human Rights Commissions, and judicial supervision.
The MHA has ensured legal access through daily lawyer visits (except Sundays and holidays), weekly family meetings, and telecommunication facilities including video calls. Detainees will receive adequate food three times daily, with accommodations for special dietary needs subject to medical approval. The existing medical history of each detainee would be taken into account, with equipment and therapies provided free if medically recommended.
The cells feature grilled windows, ventilators, ceiling fans, attached toilets and bathrooms with partitions, and receive routine cleaning, pest control, and municipal water supply. Indoor recreation includes board games, casual badminton, yoga, meditation, and access to a library and reading materials. Outdoor exercise is permitted in an open-to-sky yard daily.
Additional amenities include a jail canteen and provisions such as fruits and basic snacks. Sleeping facilities include a clean cotton mattress, pillow, sheet, and blanket. Additional beds may be provided if prescribed by doctors or ordered by courts.
The Belgian courts will assess the guarantees as part of the CBI-led fraud case against Choksi. Notably, Mehul Choksi was not previously held in Mumbai's Tihar Jail or Thane Jail before his current detention. The MHA stressed that these assurances represent a sovereign undertaking, agreed with the state government and prison department, and cannot be overridden by administrative or judicial discretion.
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