Vijay Mallya loses appeal against extradition to India in UK High Court

• Vijay Mallya lost his plea against the extradition order to India in the London High Court.
• The High Court’s order states that there is a prima facie case against Mallya, coinciding with the allegations made by Indian agencies.
• A consortium of banks led by the State Bank of India have been trying to recover over ₹9,000 crore of unpaid loans from Mallya.

Beleaguered liquor tycoon Vijay Mallya today lost an appeal against the extradition order to India by a London High Court. In February 2019, Mallya had appealed against a 2018 decision that allowed him to be brought back to India.

He left India in a huff in 2016, after loans taken by the now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines, mounted. A consortium of banks led by the State Bank of India are trying to recover over ₹9,000 crore of unpaid loans from Mallya.

Mallya declared financial fugitive in 2016

Vijay Mallya who was formerly known as liquor baron, is wanted in India on charges of financial fraud and money laundering. He was declared a financial fugitive in March 2016.

Ever since, India has been trying to bring him to justice and back to the country. The UK too allowed his extradition in 2018, an order which Mallya has been challenging.

Justice Stephen Irwin and Justice Elisabeth Laing at the Royal Courts of Justice in London dismissed his appeal of their judgment that was handed down remotely, due to the ongoing coronavirus lockdown.

"We consider that while the scope of the prima facie case found by the SDJ [Senior District Judge] is in some respects wider than that alleged by the Respondent in India [Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED)], there is a prima facie case which, in seven important respects, coincides with the allegations in India," the judges ruled.

As per UK law, it will allow extradition only if a crime a country wants people for, is a crime as per its laws. Since financial crime is considered illegal in the UK, it paved the way to bring Mallya back to India.

Mallya denies wrongdoings, offer to repay the loans

Over the past few months, Mallya has denied any wrongdoing and offered to repay the loans.

"I have made repeated offers to pay 100 percent of the amount borrowed by KFA to the Banks. Neither are Banks willing to take money and neither is the ED willing to release their attachments which they did at the behest of the Banks. I wish the FM would listen in this time of crisis." Mallya said in a Tweet on March 31.

See also:

Vijay Mallya appeals to Finance Minister to reconsider his repayment offer during these 'tough' times

Mallya's Kingfisher House goes under the hammer again- for the eighth time in 3 years

Court greenlights the sale of Vijay Mallya's assets in India