Vijay Mallya may be flown to India tonight, says report

According to news agency IANS Indian liquor baron Vijay Mallya who escaped to U.K after defaulting the repayment of Rs 9,000 crore bank loan,  may finally be extradited back to India tonight. The news agency has quoted sources in the investigative agencies to state that the fugitive  may land in Mumbai tonight. If he is returned to Mumbai at night he will have to spend some time at CBI office in Mumbai.

However, an official confirmation from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) or Government of India is still awaited.

Being lost his final appeal in the UK Supreme Court,  Vijay Mallya who escaped to U.K after defaulting the repayment of Rs 9,000 crore bank loan, was facing  extradition proceedings. It was in the court of Priti Patel, Secretary of State for the Home Department , U.K, as the court mandated her to take decision on the matter about the extradition.

Vijay Mallya was to be extradited to India for fraud and money laundering charges against him due to the collapse of his defunct company Kingfisher Airlines.After his appeal against a Westminster Magistrates’ Court extradition order was rejected by the London High Court, he was given a 14 day period to approach the Supreme Court only if there is a substantial point of law to be resolved. On the further proceedings on the 4th of May, his application stands dismissed.

The London High Court had earlier found that Mallya had been accused of cheating Indian banks and then fleeing the country by defaulting the repayment of Rs 9,000 crore of bank loans taken by his Kingfisher.company. He had been arrested on 20th April 2017 by UK authorities.

The Indian investigative agencies have been pursuing the extradition of Mallya since 2016 through a legal battle in UK courts. Earlier, his appeal in a lower court and another appeal before the London High Court were rejected.

Earlier he had requested the Indian government on twitter to accept his loan repayment offer and close this case. “Congratulations to the Government for a Covid-19 relief package. They can print as much currency as they want BUT should a small contributor like me who offers 100% payback of State-owned Bank loans be constantly ignored? Please take my money unconditionally and close.” Mallya tweeted.

He has made several similar offers in the past.