Daijiworld Media Network - London (SP)

London, Mar 30: The court room here where fugitive diamantaire, Nirav Modi's second bail application came up for hearing on Friday March 29, witnessed some lighter moments. Judge of the Westminiser Magistrate's Court, Emma Arbuthnot, during the course of hearing, wanted to know from the prosecution whether Modi would be kept in the same prison cell in which Vijay Mallya would be lodged if extradited to India.

Modi (48), is facing a high value and sophisticated fraud - cum - money laundering case running into USD two million.

Chief magistrate of the court, Arburthnot, at the very outset when hearing began on Friday, said she was going through a sense of 'deja vu', having passed an order during December last, ordering extradition of Vijay Mallya to India.

She was curious to know where will Nirav Modi be lodged if an extradition order is passed against him. Crown Prosecution Services, which is arguing the case on behalf of Indian government, informed that he would be extradited to Mumbai and that in all likelihood, he might be lodged in the same prison at Arthur Road Mumbai where Mallya is proposed to be lodged. The judge remarked in a lighter vein that as per the video submitted earlier there is enough space and that Modi and Mallya could even share the same cell.

India had earlier informed the court that Vijay Mallya would be kept in one of the high security barracks located in a two-storied building inside the prison premises. The prison authorities have already kept a cell ready to lodge Mallya once he is extradited from UK. Mallya has approached the UK high court, seeking permission to file an appeal against the said extradition order. An official of the home affairs ministry had said earlier that Arthur Road prison is one of the best in the country. The prison has high security cover and medical facilities.