Mallya extradition case: Liquor baron to appear in U.K. court today

London: Liquor Baron Vijay Mallya on Thursday will appear in a United Kingdom court for a hearing in the ongoing extradition case over economic offences in India.
In a June hearing at the London court, in a major setback to India, the court had expressed that the New Delhi had not provided evidence to Mallya yet, who is battling a slew of cases in India over his default case involving Rs. 9,000 crore worth loans to a clutch of public sector banks.

The 61-year-old liquor baron has been out on bail, since his arrest in April in London.

The Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London on July 6 heard the extradition case of Mallya and had set the next date for September 14.

Earlier, at least 53 persons, including Mallya, faced prosecution complaints from the Directorate of Enforcement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, and they are absconding, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had said in July.

The Ministry of Home Affairs, the nodal ministry for Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) in Criminal Matters, had conveyed that the India-U.K. MLAT in criminal matters does not cover the subject to bring back persons under investigation.

However, the CBI had submitted extradition request in respect of Mallya regarding the case under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860 and Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 for his extradition from the U.K.

The extradition request was sent to the U.K. for their consideration under bilateral extradition treaty. (ANI)