While addressing the media on the completion of four years of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj revealed a blunt side of our beloved Prime Minister. She said, “Prime Minister Modi told British Prime Minister that UK courts asking about the condition of Indian jails is not right, as these are the same prisons where they had jailed our leaders like Gandhi and Nehru.”
The stern message was delivered to May when the two leaders met in London in April, during the meeting of Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). They discussed the extradition of liquor baron Vijay Mallya and him complaining to the UK courts about the conditions of Indian jails. Swaraj said, “We have sent out Mallya's extradition request. One of the cases in the court is by the State Bank of India (SBI) consortium, which involves 12 banks. They have won the case and the money can now be recovered.” Mallya is absconding and currently living in the UK. His assets have been seized by Indian authorities and he faces money laundering charges to the tune of over Rs 9000 Crores.
A UK judge last year, noted that overcrowding remained a problem in Indian jails and the conditions did not satisfy human rights requirements. Mallya also argued that jails in India had poor hygiene and instances of torture. “The courts have raised some issues and said they would like to inspect the conditions of Indian jails,” Swaraj said. While sharing the exchange between Modi and May, she said UK had been firmly told that the stance of British courts was “unacceptable”.
