United Kingdom certifies India's request to extradite Vijay Mallya

The external affairs minister on Friday claimed that the United Kingdom government has certified India's request to extradite liquor baron Vijay Mallya. The request, according to the UK home office, has been sent to Westminster magistrate for consideration.

Speaking to the media on Friday, Ministry of external affairs spokesperson Gopal Baglay said that the same was conveyed in February. "In February, the United Kingdom government's home office conveyed that India's request for Mallya's extradition has been stratified by the secretary of state," he said.

The request now lies with Westminster magistrate's court that will consider the issue of release of the warrant. The move comes as a major push for India's request to extradite the wilful defaulter. Mallya had recently cried foul over being victimised by the media and the Narendra Modi government alike.

The Indian government submitted an extradition request for 'absconding Vijay Mallya' to the UK in February, a year after he left the country without facing trial after being accused in cases of loan default and financial irregularities. A formal request to deport him from the UK was made in 2016 after Mallya's passport was revoked in April last year. The foreign and commonwealth office of the UK, however, had conveyed that under the 1971 Immigration Act, the UK did not require an individual to hold a valid passport to remain on their land.

OneIndia News