UK team inspects Tihar amid India's extradition push for fugitives like Nirav Modi and Vijay Mallya

Efforts to bring back high-profile economic offenders such as Nirav Modi and Vijay Mallya from the United Kingdom have gained momentum with a team from Britain's Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) recently visiting Tihar Jail, an official said on Sunday.

The visit, carried out last week, was aimed at assessing prison conditions to satisfy legal requirements laid down by the UK courts before deciding on extradition pleas, he said.

India has been pressing hard for the return of several fugitives wanted in cases ranging from bank fraud to arms smuggling. Authorities are seeking to assure British courts that those extradited will not face unsafe or inhumane conditions in custody.

According to the official, the CPS delegation toured the high-security ward of Tihar and also interacted with some inmates. Jail authorities conveyed that if needed, a separate enclave could be created within the premises to house high-profile accused, ensuring their safety and compliance with international standards.

UK courts in the past have turned down extradition requests from India citing prison conditions. New Delhi has since given assurances that the rights of the accused will be safeguarded, with no scope for illegal interrogation or mistreatment.

Mallya, facing loan default charges of over Rs 9,000 crore, has been residing in the UK and is contesting extradition.

Nirav Modi, prime accused in the Rs 13,800 crore Punjab National Bank scam, was declared a fugitive offender in 2019 and was arrested in the UK the same year. His extradition has already been cleared by a London court, though appeals remain pending.