Vijay Mallya to appear in London court today for his hearing on extradition case

London, September 14: Once upon a time liquor baron, Vijay Mallya will appear at the Westminster court in London today for a hearing in his ongoing extradition case over economic offences in India. Mallya is facing a list of never-ending economic offences and is currently out on bail. 

 

An extradition warrant was issued against Mallya on behalf of Indian authorities as he is wanted for defaulting loans amounting to more than Rs 9,000 crores. 

He had been exempt from appearing before Westminster Magistrates' Court for case management hearings by Chief Magistrate Emma Louise Arbuthnot before his trial begins on December 4. However, his legal team had indicated to the court that Mallya likes to be present at the hearings. 

At the last hearing of the case on July 16, the UK’s Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), who is arguing the case for the Indian government, had told the court that the British government has “excellent cooperation” with the Indian authorities and sufficient material to establish a prima facie case for the extradition of the UB Group chief.

The CPS will provide Mallya’s defence attorney’s with detailed opening notes on the case after the hearing begins on Thursday, and Mallya’s legal team’s response on the paperwork will be completed this week.

The judges have set December 4 as the start date for a final hearing in the case, and if the Chief Magistrate rules in favour of extradition at the end of the trial, the British Home Secretary must order Mallya’s extradition within two months since the day of the judgment.

India and the UK have an Extradition Treaty, signed in 1992 and in force since November 1993, under which recently a Bangladeshi national wanted in the UK on murder charges was to be extradited from India.