MEA BEGINS EXTRADITION PROCEEDINGS AGAINST MALLYA
The government has asked the United Kingdom to deport Vijay Mallya for investigation in a money laundering case, stepping up efforts to get the liquor baron back to India.
“The ministry has written to the high commission of the UK in Delhi requesting the deportation of Vijay Mallya so that his presence can be secured for investigations against him under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act 2002,” foreign ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said on Thursday. His comments came four days after India revoked Mallya’s passport,
The 60-year-old industrialist is facing proceedings in the top court by a 17-bank consortium seeking repayment of `9,000 crore in loans to his now-collapsed Kingfisher Airlines. In a separate case last week, a PMLA court in Mumbai issued a non-bailable warrant against Mallya after the enforcement directorate (ED) alleged he had invested around half of a `950-crore loan from IDBI Bank in properties abroad.
Mallya left India in March, triggering outrage as he is under probe by the CBI and ED for defaulting on loans taken by KFA.
The SC ordered on Tuesday that details of Mallya and his family’s assets be disclosed to the consortium.It rejected Mallya’s argument that the assets weren’t acquired from the loans.
Mallya’s lawyers said he was unwilling to return as banks wanted him in jail.
The deportation will depend on the UK’s response — IPL boss Lalit Modi has managed to stay back in Britain despite corruption charges against him. The MEA stressed India will continue to press for Mallya’s deportation with UK authorities. Swarup said the Indian high commission in the UK will issue a “note verbale” to the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The ED has approached the MEA seeking initiation of deportation proceedings against Mallya.