UK Home Minister Sajid Javid on Monday ordered the liquor businessman Vijay Mallya to be extradited to India. Mallya (63) had lost the legal challenge against his extradition in a British court in December. Under the extradition treaty procedures, the Chief Magistrate’s decision was sent to the Home Minister because only the Home Minister was authorized to order the extradition of Mallya.
Mallya is on bail in extradition warrant issued by Scotland Yard in April 2017. This warrant was executed when Indian officials had accused the former head of Kingfisher Airlines for fraud and money laundering of Rs 9,000 crore. The British court had said that it is satisfied with the various assurances given by the Government of India, including a video of a cell in prison.
The UK Home Department said that Mallya can formally appeal now. Mallya has 14 days to appeal against his extradition.
Vijay Mallya on Friday claimed that his company’s assets worth more than Rs 13,000 crore have been seized. Mallya tweeted and said that the lending bank has given an open rebate to its lawyers in England to file a small case against him. Mallya has questioned the ill-use of public money as a legal fee.
Mallya said in the tweet, Every morning I find that the recovery officer of the DRT (debt recovery tribunals) seized another property. The value of the assets seized has crossed 13 thousand crore rupees. Banks have claimed that I have owed nine thousand crores of rupees to all types of interest and it has to be reviewed. How far will it go? Is it justified?.
He said that the Recovery Officer of the DRT has seized the assets of 13 thousand crore rupees of his group in recent times by the banks in India. Mallya said, It is being said that I ran away with nine thousand crore rupees, which caused the loss to government banks, where is justice or fairness?
