Vijay Mallya’s extradition: CBI, ED teams reach London to expedite case

New Delhi: A Joint team of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED have reached London to expedite Vijay Mallya's case. The move is followed by the absconding liquor baron's brief arrest and consequent bail in London.

A four-member team led by CBI Additional Director Rakesh Asthana will apprise British authorities about the finer points of the loan default cases against Mallya, CBI sources said.

Two senior ED officials are also part of the team, they said.

Mallya's extradition is now before the British court where neither the CBI nor the ED are direct parties. Indian agencies primarily aid and assist British prosecutors with case material to counter the plea of absconders before the courts, an official explained.

The agencies' move to send a team to London is aimed at presenting a strong case for the extradition of the flamboyant business tycoon before the court.

Mallya was arrested by the Scotland Yard -- and released on bail -- on April 18, 2017, in connection with an extradition request filed by India on February 8, 2017.

He was, however, released on bail a few hours later on a bail bond worth 6,50,000 pound. He is required to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on May 17.

Mallya is wanted in several cases related to economic offences in India. The now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines that he set up owes over Rs 9,000 crore ($1.5 billion) to state-owned and private banks, it has been widely reported.

India had placed a formal extradition request for Mallya as per the Extradition Treaty between India and the UK through a note verbale on February 8.

There were 16 extradition requests pending with UK as of July 2016, according to an answer to the Lok Sabha. Only one fugitive has been extradited from the UK -- Samirbhai Vinubhai Patel, an Indian citizen, for murder; the extradition came in October 2016, 23 years after India`s extradition treaty with the UK came into force in 1993.

With Agency Inputs