New Delhi: The Westminster Magistrates Court in London is expected to pronounce its judgment in the extradition case of fugitive liquor baron Vijay Mallya on Monday. The court is hearing the case on India’s request.
On Sunday, a joint team of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) led by CBI Joint Director A Sai Manohar left for the United Kingdom (UK) for the court proceedings. Earlier, CBI Special Director Rakesh Asthana was leading this case.
Reacting on the development, the Congress party termed the proceedings as delayed and said that the authorities have woken up when Mallya is ready to pay all loans.
Congress leader Tom Vaddakan while speaking to ANI said, “The extradition proceedings should have started long back, the authorities have woken up when he (Vijay Mallya) is ready to pay back all the loans. The government had to state a reason about the parallel movement on Christen Michel so this is a countermeasure and the government is trying to say that they are trying this too,” Vaddakan added.
The Bhartiya Janata Party and the Janta Dal-United (JD(U)) termed this as a great development and welcomed the move by the investigation agencies.
BJP leader Zafar Islam, while speaking to ANI, said, “The matter is in the court. However, our government has left no stone unturned to extradite Mallya back to India. I hope he is extradited back soon. He will have to go through the trial according to the Indian laws as soon as he is brought back to India.”
JD(U) spokesperson KC Tyagi said, “We welcome the investigation and efforts of the agencies (CBI and ED) after which have they have left no other choice for Mallya.”
Earlier on Friday, the Supreme Court issued a notice to the ED on a plea filed by Mallya seeking a stay on the proceedings initiated by the ED to declare him a fugitive economic offender and confiscate his assets.
Mallya is facing money-laundering charges in the United Kingdom after India initiated extradition proceedings against him. Both ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) have filed several cases for alleged loan default against him.
Mallya has been residing in the UK from the past two years. His extradition case is reportedly in its final stage at the UK court.
[source_without_link]ANI[/source_without_link]