Mallya returns to UK court for hearing on extradition

London, July 31: Embattled liquor tycoon Vijay Mallya, wanted in India on fraud charges, returned to Westminster magistrates’ court here on Tuesday for closing arguments in his high- profile extradition trial.

The 62- year- old arrived at the court along with his son Siddharth.

“At the end of the day, the courts will decide,” Mallya said outside the court.

At the last hearing in the case on April 27, the CBI had received a boost in the case as Judge Arbuthnot confirmed that the bulk of the evidence submitted by the Indian authorities will be admissible in the case.

The CBI had submitted a detailed set of documents to the UK court, which includes its case of conspiracy against former IDBI Bank deputy managing director B. K. Batra, who was referred to in court as a new “villain” of sorts in the case.

As per the Indian authorities’ case of conspiracy, Batra reportedly colluded with Mallya in sanctioning some of the loans to the now- defunct Kingfisher Airlines without following due diligence procedures.

In the separate extradition proceedings, if the judge rules in favour of the Indian government, the UK home secretary will have two months to sign Mallya’s extradition order. However, both sides will have the chance to appeal in higher courts in the UK against the magistrates’ court verdict.

Mallya’s defence team, headed by barrister Clare Montgomery, has disputed the fraud allegations and also submitted further written material from UKbased prisons expert Alan Mitchell, challenging some of the photographs of Barrack 12 of Mumbai Central Prison on Arthur Road, where Mallya is to be held if he is extradited from the UK.

Meanwhile, home affairs ministry officials said prisons in India were as good as in any other country in the world and prisoners’ rights were fully protected in Indian jails. Mallya’s apprehension about threat to his life was “misleading”, a home affairs ministry official said.