CBI team to attend Mallya’s extradition trial from today
A team of CBI officers will attend the extradition trial of industrialist Vijay Mallya, who is facing a probe by the agency into alleged loan defaults of over ~9,000 crore, in a London court from Monday.
India’s case to bring back the 61-year-old businessman will be represented through the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) of the British government.
CBI sources said the team led by Special Director Rakesh Asthana left for London on Sunday and would remain present during the trial starting at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Monday.
Mallya, who had shifted to the UK in March 2016, is wanted in India on charges relating to his defunct Kingfisher Airlines defaulting on loans amounting to ~9,000 crore from various banks. The former Rajya Sabha member had said during his numerous court appearances in London over the last few months that he had "done nothing wrong" and described the allegations against him as "fabricated".
The trial will be heard by Chief Magistrate Emma Louise Arbuthnot who, in a previous hearing, had highlighted prison conditions as a concern that has been "raised in extraditions to India before".
The CPS, arguing on behalf of the Indian government, has told the court that the Indian authorities foresaw this as an issue and has been "engaged on the matter".
The extradition trial itself, to be presided over by judge Arbuthnot, is listed for hearings until December 14, with December 6 and 8 so far marked as non-sitting days. A judgment in the case is not expected until early next year.
If the judge rules in favour of extradition at the end of the trial, UK Home Secretary Amber Rudd must order Mallya's extradition within two months. However, the case can go through a series of court appeals before the actual extradition order can be issued.