Reshuffle at the Arthur road jail: Peter Mukerjea and Rakesh Wadhawan transferred

In a major reshuffle at the Arthur road jail in Mumbai, Sheena Bora murder case accused Peter Mukerjea and PMC Bank loan fraud case accused Rakesh Wadhawan have been transferred from Barrack Number 12 to the jail’s hospital ward. Official sources say that both of them have health complications and are under medication. At the same time, jail authorities wanted to keep Barrack Number 12 free for fugitive economic offender Vijay Mallya. During the extradition hearing, India had provided details of Barrack Number 12 to the UK court after Mallya complained about unhygienic conditions in Indian jails. The Central Bureau of Investigation along Maharashtra Police jail officials had filmed Barrack Number 12 and had provided the footage to the court in London.

Peter Mukherjea had moved an application before the CBI court against his transfer to the hospital ward. The court, however, maintained that the decision to transfer was the prerogative of the jail authorities. Sanjeev Khanna, Indrani Mukherjea’s former husband, who too is an accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, has been moved to Arthur Road jail’s “anda cell”.

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Extradition process of Vijay Mallya and PNB Bank scam accused

Sources in CBI and ED maintain that the extradition process of Vijay Mallya and PNB Bank scam accused will take some more time. While Vijay Mallya’s appeal will be heard by a court in London, a timeline for Nirav Modi’s extradition hearing is yet to be decided by the court. However, jail authorities maintain that conditions of jail is an essential part of the extradition hearing in London. Hence all preparations have to be made as per international standards.

A London court is already hearing a plea of Vijay Mallya, who is seeking permission to appeal against the UK Home Secretary's order extraditing him to India to face alleged fraud and money laundering charges amounting to Rs 9,000 crore. A two-member bench of Justices George Leggatt and Andrew Popplewell of the Administrative Court division of the Royal Courts of Justice is hearing the arguments of Mallya's counsel Clare Montgomery and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). The case will come up for hearing in February, 2020.

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