Fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya’s extradition to India was approved by the UK Home Office on Monday, 4 February 2019. The extradition case was forwarded to Home Secretary Sajid Javid by the Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 10 December 2018, after over a year of deliberations to consider whether or not Mallya should be sent back to India.
UK Home Secretary Sajid Javid ordered the extradition of Mallya on charges of conspiracy to defraud and money laundering offences.
He now has 14 days from 4 February to apply for leave to appeal to the UK High Court.
Mallya had previously indicated that he intends to file an application to appeal against the Westminster Magistrates' Court verdict in favour of his extradition to India.
A Special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court had on 5 January, declared tainted liquor baron Vijay Mallya a ‘fugitive economic offender.’
- Enforcement Directorate had moved the special PMLA court to declare Vijay Mallya a ‘fugitive economic offender’ under the Fugitive Economic Offender Act 2018
- With this declaration, Vijay Mallya’s properties can be confiscated by the government
- Mallya, accused of defaulting on loan repayments and money laundering, had left India in March 2016
'Will Initiate Appeal Process': Vijay Mallya Responds to Extradition
Fugitive liquor baron Vijay Mallya responded to the approval of his extradition to India by UK Home Secretary Sajid Javid.
Mallya said that the decision was handed down on 10 December 2018 and he had stated his intention to appeal, he will now initiate the appeal process, Mallya tweeted.
BJP Claims Credit for Action Against Mallya, Cong Ridicules It
Claiming credit, the BJP said action against Mallya was taken under a law enacted by the Modi Government in August 2018, and termed it as "a feather in the cap" in its fight against corruption.
"It is a feather in the cap for BJP's fight against corruption," BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said at a press conference.
"Mallya grew under the patronage of the Congress government. Despite being bankrupt, he was given loans and his loans were even restructured. He fled with Rs 9,000 crore of the country's money," he alleged.
Meanwhile the Congress, which held a press conference soon after the BJP, ridiculed the ruling party , saying that going by the the BJP’s “credit seeking” claims, India would be “celebrating its fifth birthday on May 26, 2019”.
Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera alleged that Mallya had metFinance Minister Arun Jaitley before fleeing the country.
"If the BJP is taking credit for declaring Mallya a FEO, then let them take credit as they are taking credit for everything from Mangalyaan, Chandrayan, Pokhran 1 to Pokhran 2 (nuclear tests)...we should be celebrating India's 5birthday on 26 May, 2019. The BJP feels that everything happened after its government came to power in 2014," he said.
Khera, however, said that "everyone knew" how Mallya fled to London.
Mallya Declared ‘Fugitive Economic Offender’ by PMLA Court
A Special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court on Saturday, 5 January, declared tainted liquor baron Vijay Mallya a ‘fugitive economic offender,’ reported ANI.
The Enforcement Directorate had moved the special PMLA court to declare Mallya a 'fugitive economic offender' under the Fugitive Economic Offender Act 2018.
With this declaration, Mallya’s properties can be confiscated by the government, including those that were not purchased or linked to the bak loans taken by him.
Special judge MS Azmi declared Mallya an FEO under Section 12 of the Act after hearing extensive arguments from the lawyer of Mallya and the ED counsel.
Mallya, accused of defaulting on loan repayments and money laundering, had left India in March 2016.
Westminster Magistrates' Court Recommends Mallya Extradition
The 62-year-old Vijay Mallya, accused of defaulting on loan repayments and money laundering, had left India in March 2016.
On 10 December 2018, the Westminster Magistrates’ Court had delivered its decision in the Mallya extradition case, sending the case to UK’s Home Secretary of State. This effectively counts as a recommendation to extradite him.
Mallya had contested his extradition on the grounds that the case against him is "politically motivated.”
India had made a formal extradition request to the UK government in February 2017 on the basis of a CBI charge sheet, which had accused Mallya of fraud to secure loans for Kingfisher Airlines (which were never paid back).
The magistrate had held that if the charges against Mallya are proven, they would constitute the offences of “making false representations to make a gain for himself [Mallya], conspiracy to defraud and money laundering.”
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