New Delhi: India on Monday welcomed the decision by the British government to extradite Indian industrialist Vijay Mallya wanted here on charges of committing a Rs90 billion (Dh4.6 billion) bank loan fraud.
Government sources in New Delhi said they had taken note of the decision of British Home Secretary Sajid Javid to sign the order for Vijay Mallya’s extradition to India.
“While we welcome the UK government’s decision in the matter, we await the early completion of the legal process for his extradition,” the source said.
In a statement, a British Home Office spokesperson said the Home Secretary “after having carefully considered all relevant matters, signed the order for Vijay Mallya’s extradition to India”.
The move will come as a shot in the arm for India’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and the Narendra Modi-led central government.
However, experts said that Mallya had 14 days’ time to appeal against his extradition in a higher court.
A note issued by Press Officer Bethany Ditzel citing a UK Home Office spokesperson said: “Vijay Mallya is accused in India of conspiracy to defraud, making false representations and money laundering offences. He has 14 days from today to apply for leave to appeal.”
The Westminster Magistrates Court in the UK on December 10 gave the ruling to extradite Mallya following a prolonged litigation.
Mallya, 63, left India on March 2, 2016 after defaulting on loan amounting to Rs90 billion he had taken for his now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines.
A consortium of 13 banks — led by the State Bank of India (SBI) — has been preparing to initiate loan recovery proceedings against him.
Proceedings are on before the Mumbai Special Court against Mallya under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act.
