The Congress on Tuesday urged the Centre to build up pressure on United Kingdom to handover fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya to India, following his arrest and almost subsequent bail even as it questioned why a request for his deportation was not made.
Crediting the Congress’ campaign leading to submission of Mallya’s extradition request, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala asked why the liquor baron was not arrested earlier when the case was first registered against him in 2015.
“Is it not a fact that on July 29, 2015, the CBI registered a case and investigated Vijay MallyaIJ Why was he not arrestedIJ Why was he permitted to go scot-freeIJ” Surjewala said.
Surjewala also blamed the BJP-led Government for not sending the request of deportation but of extradition, adding the move would have led to immediate handing of Mallya to India.
“After three years of relentless campaign by the Congress , finally the request for extradition was submitted on February 9, 2017, by the Government of India to the British authorities. The request for deportation was not given. That would have led to immediate handing of Vijay Mallya, who has fled with Rs. 9,091 crore of India’s banks and the people from here to london under the watch of BJP Government. The reason was extradition can take up to a dozen years, it is only step one,” he said.