One step closer to catching Mallya? India meets British officials to discuss extradition

An Indian delegation headed by officers of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) met a British delegation comprising officials of the Crown Prosecution Service and Legal Department of United Kingdom on Monday on the issue of wilful defaulter Vijay Mallya’s extradition.

The Indian delegation sought Mallya’s extradition under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) between the two countries.

This development came after the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) forwarded a special court-issued request to the MEA which asked Mallya to be brought back to face probe in a money laundering case.

Senior officials from Crown Prosecution Service & Legal Dept of UK met senior MEA officials y'day; Vijay Mallya's extradition also discussed pic.twitter.com/s0Fst1c8Rw

— ANI (@ANI_news) February 21, 2017

The Special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) Mumbai court gave a green signal to the Enforcement Directorate's request to bring back the former liquor baron utilising the MLAT.

Other than the probe by the PMLA court, Mallya has arrest warrants (bailable and non-bailable) issued against him in Indian courts for other financial crimes as well.

The Debt Recovery Tribunal in January 2017 allowed banks to recover Rs 9,000 crore from Mallya, Kingfisher Airlines and associated companies.

Mallya has been in the UK since March 2016 and his passport was suspended by the External Affairs Ministry later in April. Soon after that India had asked for his deportation, but the UK government declined and said it will assist with his extradition instead.