Our Bureau
London
Sanjay Bhandari, a London-based businessman accused of tax evasion and money laundering in India, has successfully appealed against his extradition to India. The UK High Court ruled that extradition would breach his human rights due to the risk of mistreatment in Indian custody.
The court’s decision, delivered by Lord Justice Timothy Holroyde and Justice Karen Steyn, highlighted systemic issues in India’s justice system. The judges noted that torture to extract confessions is “commonplace and endemic” and cited evidence of extortion and violence in Indian prisons, including Tihar Jail, where Bhandari was expected to be held. They concluded that prison officials were unlikely to protect him from such threats.
Bhandari, 63, a consultant in the defence sector, has been fighting extradition since 2020. He was accused of concealing overseas assets and providing false information to Indian tax authorities. British ministers had approved his extradition in January 2023. However, Bhandari appealed on grounds that included the risk of torture and delays in India’s judicial process.
The High Court’s ruling not only discharged Bhandari but also criticized India’s investigative and judicial practices. It stated that the acceptance of mistreatment extended beyond police forces to prison authorities, underlining systemic flaws in evidence-gathering methods.
India’s government has yet to respond officially to the ruling. The case adds to ongoing scrutiny of India’s extradition requests in the UK, with similar concerns raised in past cases involving high-profile individuals like Vijay Mallya and Sanjeev Chawla.
This judgment underscores the importance of safeguarding human rights in international extradition cases while raising questions about the conditions within India’s justice system.
