The United Kingdom Foreign Office has certified a request from India for businessman Vijay Mallya’s extradition. The matter is now with Westminster Magistrate for consideration for a warrant, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay said on Friday.
“A formal extradition request in respect of Mr Vijay Mallya as per the Extradition Treaty between India and UK was handed over to the British High Commission in New Delhi vide our Note Verbale dated February 8, 2017.
The UK Home Office, london vide their Note Verbale dated February 21, 2017 has conveyed that the request has been certified by the Secretary of State and sent to Westminster Magistrates’ Court for a District Judge to consider issuing an arrest warrant,” Baglay said.
While this development is a step forward towards securing the extradition of Mallya who has taken refuge in london since March 2, 2016 after he was charged for loan default of over Rs 9,000 crore, sources said there is still a long way ahead. Mallya has the option of challenging this extradition request and the charge sheet filed by Central Bureau of Investigation in the British Courts.
The extradition request was filed after the vetting of the CBI’s application by the MEA’s legal department in February. Sources said Mallya’s return depends on how strong the CBI charge sheet is.