London: An Indian businessman won his appeal against extradition from Britain on Friday, as London’s High Court ruled that he faced a significant risk of torture or other mistreatment in India.
Sanjay Bhandari, a 63-year-old London-based defence sector consultant, is wanted in India on charges of tax evasion and money laundering. His lawyers have described him as a consultant in the defence industry.
Bhandari previously sued the French defence and technology firm Thales in France, alleging that he was owed payment for assisting in securing a fighter jet maintenance deal in India—claims that Thales has denied.
British authorities ordered Bhandari’s extradition in January 2023 following India’s request. However, he successfully challenged the decision in the High Court, which found that extradition would violate his human rights due to the high likelihood of mistreatment in Indian custody.
The ruling was highly critical of India’s justice system, citing concerns over torture being used to extract confessions, extortion risks for detainees, and instances where prisoners had been killed either by or in the presence of prison officers.
India’s High Commission in London and Bhandari’s legal representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
In their written judgment, Judges Timothy Holroyde and Karen Steyn emphasized the pervasiveness of torture in India’s justice system.
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“It is apparent that the acceptance in India of torture or other serious mistreatment as a method of evidence-gathering extends beyond the police and investigating bodies, such that it is unlikely that the appellant (Bhandari) could look to prison officials for protection from the organisations that are engaged in investigating him,” the ruling stated.
The judges also highlighted conditions at Delhi’s Tihar Jail, where Bhandari would have been detained. His legal team argued that the facility is plagued by a culture of violence and extortion. The court referenced a 2023 case in which a prisoner was murdered in front of guards, underscoring the risks Bhandari would face if extradited.
