UK judge orders extradition to India of PIO ‘mastermind’ of party drug trafficking ring
Kishan Singh, 36, a British citizen who hails from India, is accused of supplying the recreational designer drugs mephedrone (or bath salts) and ketamine in India in 2016-17, which led to the arrest of Commonwealth Youth Games silver medallist Harpreet Singh in 2017.
Kishan's barrister, Ben Keith, had argued that Kishan faced a risk of breach of Article 5 (Right to liberty) of the European Convention on Human Rights as he would face insurmountable hurdles getting bail, a breach of Article 3 (torture and degrading treatment) owing to the conditions in Tihar jail complex, and of Article 6 (Right to a fair trial.)
Keith also said evidence given by Kishan's co-defendants after arrest implicating Kishan was "inadmissible", interception of Kishan's phone calls was "unauthorised" and the drugs analysis was "unreliable."
Handing down judgment on Wednesday at Westminster magistrates' court, district judge John Zani dismissed these arguments, saying he was "satisfied Singh's extradition to India to face prosecution complies with his convention rights. I also find the Indian authorities have satisfied the prima facie test. I am sending this case to the secretary of state."
Kishan, who got married in Rajasthan in 2013, is accused of conspiring, from his London base, with Amandeep Singh, Harpreet, Hanish Sarpal and others to supply illegal party drugs by road and rail between Mumbai and Delhi.
Amandeep and Harpreet were arrested on February 15, 2017 at New Delhi railway station while allegedly in possession of 25.2 kg of mephedrone.
Zani dismissed adverse evidence on Tihar jail given by prison condition expert Dr Alan Mitchel, saying, "Dr Mitchell has not been allowed to visit any establishment within the Indian prison estate."
He also referred to a recent high court ruling which found "no real risk that Sanjeev Chawla will be subjected to impermissible treatment in Tihar prisons". London-based PIO Chawla, accused of cricket match-fixing, is seeking leave to appeal that decision.
If convicted, Kishan will face up to 20 years in prison in India. He has conditional bail.
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References
- ^ drug trafficking (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
- ^ Commonwealth Youth Games (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
- ^ Harpreet Singh (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
- ^ Tihar jail (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
- ^ PIO (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
from UK News Headlines, Latest UK News and Live Updates - Times of India http://bit.ly/2WCnpwG
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