TAP TO UNMUTE Vijay Mallya | Photo Credit: Indiatimes

Mumbai/London: Wilful defaulter Vijay Mallya, who wanted in India for defaulting on loans worth Rs 9,000 crore has come up with a new excuse to evade extradition by the Indian authorities – he has told the UK court that Indian prisons are "not up to international standards” and therefore he can't return.

However, the authorities here have dismissed these claims by the beleaguered businessman. Times Now has accessed the reply by Mumbai prison authorities to the Home Ministry, which was later produced in the UK court, which spells out all the facilities that are available inside the prison.

"Mr Mallya will be held, if extradited, in a high security cell in Barrack No 12 at Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai, which is unique in as much as that this cannot be referred to in the same contextual reference to the rest of Arthur Road Jail or Prisons in Maharashtra or Prisons in Bihar or Alipore Central Correctional Home in Kolkata," reads the letter, written by the Additional Director General of Police and Inspector General of Prisons and Correctional Services, Maharashtra to the state's Home Department.

The letter adds that there are arrangements for medical care for Vijay Mallya as well inside the prison.

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"There is a provision for a 20 beds hospital in jail, round the clock availability of four doctors apart from other paramedics and nursing staff and there is also a provision for telemedicine. Regular medical care which is further enhanced by close proximity of the highly reputed JJ Hospital which is by road under 2 kms from Arthur Road Jail. In view of Mr Vijay Mallyas's various medical conditions, there is an ample provision for round the clock healthcare and for his regular and time monitored requirements for periodic check-up, both within Arthur Road Jail and at JJ Hospital," the letter says.

Indian authorities have been working on ways to bring back Mallya, wanted for Kingfisher Airlines' default on loans worth nearly Rs 9,000 crore and some other matters, back from the UK, where he has been based for a long time.

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He was arrested on October 3, but he was granted bail for the second time. He was earlier arrested and produced before the Westminster Magistrates' Court in London on April 18 for the extradition hearing and was then granted conditional bail.

Mallya's trial in the case is scheduled for two weeks, starting December 4.