India has moved to get controversial business tycoon Vijay Mallya deported from the United Kingdom. It has asked the UK to deport Mallya so that he can face investigations in the money laundering case here. India’s move comes shortly after the Ministry of External Affairs revoked the diplomatic passport which he holds by virtue of being a Rajya Sabha MP.
“The Ministry has written to the UK High Commission in New Delhi requesting the deportation of Vijay Mallya so that his presence can be secured for investigations against him under the Prevention of Money laundering Act (PMlA) 2002,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Vikas Swarup said on Thursday.
He added that the Indian High Commission in the UK will also be issuing a similar note verbale to the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office. “Mallya’s passport was revoked last week in view of these (PMlA) investigations and a Non-Bailable Warrant issued by a Special Judge, Mumbai. We will continue to pursue this matter with UK authorities,” Swarup added.
Mallya’s Kingfisher Airlines has been accused of defaulting bank loans of over Rs 9,400 crore. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has approached the MEA to begin deportation proceedings against Mallya charged with money laundering
in the Rs 900 crore IDBI loan fraud case.
Mallya had left India on March 2 for the UK, and he can either approach the British authorities to grant him permission to continue his stay in that country or challenge the revocation of his passport.
Meanwhile, Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh said the MEA was yet to receive a request from investigating agencies for extradition of former Indian Premier league (IPl) chairman lalit Modi, who too is facing money laundering charges. He too is believed to be in Britain.
“The extradition request in respect of lalit Modi is yet to be received by the Ministry of External Affairs from the law enforcement agencies concerned, in India,” Singh told Rajya Sabha in response to a question. India recently had contacted Interpol and pressed its demand for an early notification of the Red Corner Notice sought by the ED against lalit Modi in connection with the money laundering case.
The ED recently got a NBW from Mumbai court for extradition of Modi. The ED has been asking Modi to join investigations in a case relating to IPl after an FIR was registered against him and others under the provisions of PMlA. In August last year, the agency had moved the Interpol to get an Red Corner Notice issued against Modi but the international police body has not obliged it yet in this regard and has sought additional information against Modi as part of getting satisfactory grounds before finally processing the world-wide warrant.