CONFIDENTIAL LEGAL ISSUE HOLDING UP EXTRADITION OF MALLYA: UK
NEWDELHI: Britain said on Thursday that a “confidential” legal issue was holding up the extradition of businessman Vijay Mallya to India, where he is wanted by investigative agencies for alleged financial offences, but that it was seeking to deal with the matter as quickly as possible.
Indian agencies and legal experts could only speculate about the nature of the issue that has cropped up-- from Covid infections in the prison where he is to be held, to possibility he has applied for asylum in UK or may be planning to approach the European Court of Human Rights.
A spokesperson for British high commission said there was still a legal issue of confidential nature. “He last month lost his appeal and was refused leave to appeal to UK Supreme Court,” spokesperson said. “However, there is a further legal issue that needs resolving... Under UK law, extradition cannot take place until it is resolved. The issue is confidential and we can’t go into any detail,” spokesperson added, declining to “estimate how long this issue will take to resolve”, and said: “We are seeking to deal with this as quickly as possible.”
UK home secretary Priti Patel is expected to make a final decision on his extradition. British authorities, through external affairs ministry, have also informed CBI and ED about “confidential” legal issue. However, officials in both agencies said they weren’t given details on grounds UK law didn’t allow disclosure of details before it is resolved.
Both agencies also suspect Mallya
had applied for asylum in UK on “certain unknown specific grounds” as his claim of a “political witch-hunt” has been debunked by British courts.
There is also a possibility Mallya could use Covid cases at Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai, where he is to be held, as a “change of circumstance” to avoid or delay his extradition, people familiar with developments said. There are about 200 Covid cases in the prison and Mallya has underlying health conditions that could be exacerbated, the people said.