The British government has certified India’s request to extradite beleaguered businessman Vijay Mallya, the External Affairs Ministry said on Friday. “In February 2017, the UK government’s home office had conveyed that India’s request for Mallya’s extradition had been certified by the secretary of state,” MEA spokesperson Gopal Baglay said.
A district court in the United Kingdom may also issue a formal warrant against Mallya. “They further conveyed that the request had been sent to the Westminster Magistrate’s court for a district judge to consider releasing a warrant,” Baglay added.
The MEA had submitted an extradition request for Mallya on February 9. Later that month, Indian and UK officials met for two days to discuss deportation cases and pending requests to extradite people from the two countries. A few media reports had claimed that during one of these meetings, the British officials had assured India that Mallya would be deported.
The businessman, who owes 17 banks in India more than Rs 9,000 crore, has been in the UK since March 2016 and had earlier said he would not return to the country. He has been embroiled in a number of cases in India.
In November 2016, he was declared an absconder by a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act court. The same month, India had asked the UK to extradite the industrialist under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty for the loans he owes. On January 31, a special CBI court had issued a non-bailable warrant against him.
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