London, Aug 25: Congress president Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP government of being hand-in-glove with fugitive businessmen - Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi.

While speaking to reporters in London, the Gandhi scion claimed that Mallya had met top leaders of the Centre-ruling BJP before absconding from the nation in 2016. The former chief of United Breweries owes a collective amount of over Rs 9,000 crores to a total of 17 Indian banks.

The Congress chief also attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of lack of action against diamantaires Mehul Choksi and Nirav Modi, accused of defrauding the Punjab National Bank to the tune of Rs 13,800 crores.

"PM Modi is on good terms with Choksi and Nirav," Rahul Gandhi was quoted as saying.

'Indian prisons are tough places'

On being asked about Mallya citing "unsafe Indian jails" as the reason for opposing his extradition, Rahul Gandhi said Indian prisons are "tough places".

His remarks are likely to be protested by the ruling BJP, as it may prove to be an ammunition for the defence counsel in the Mallya extradition case.

At the Westminster Court in UK, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is arguing on behalf of the CBI. In the last proceedings, the bench had asked the CPS to arrange for videographic evidence to prove that Indian prisons are inhabitable.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 25, 2018 07:31 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).