UK approves Vijay Mallya's extradition to India

Mallya has 14 days' time to appeal against his extradition in a higher court -- the Special Immigration Appeals Commission.

The 63-year-old businessman had been found to have a case to answer before the Indian courts by Westminster Magistrates' Court in London on December 10, 2018.

Javid, the UK's senior-most Pakistani-origin minister, had two months from that date to sign off on that order.

The UK Home Office confirmed on Monday that after considering all matters, the minister had signed Mallya's extradition order on Sunday.

"On February 3 the Secretary of State, having carefully considered all relevant matters, signed the order for Vijay Mallya's extradition to India," a Home Office spokesperson said.

"Vijay Mallya is accused in India of conspiracy to defraud, making false representations and money laundering offences," the spokesperson added.

Mallya is on bail on an extradition warrant executed by Scotland Yard in April 2017 after the Indian authorities brought fraud and money laundering charges amounting to Rs 9,000 crores against the former Kingfisher Airlines boss.

The former Kingfisher Airlines' boss has earlier indicated that he intends to file an application to appeal against the Westminster Magistrates' Court verdict in favour of his extradition to India.

The businessman had told reporters soon after the ruling by Chief Magistrate Emma Arbuthnot in London in December 2018 that he would consider the verdict in detail and decide his next course of action. His legal team later confirmed that he will seek leave to appeal against the court order.

"Dr Mallya has now been able to consider the court's decision and intends to file an application for permission to appeal at the appropriate time," said Anand Doobay, Partner at UK-based Boutique Law LLP, who has been Mallya's solicitor through the extradition process.

India has welcomed the decision by the British government to extradite Mallya.

"While we welcome the UK government's decision in the matter, we await an early completion of the legal process for his extradition," said a source in the Indian government, adding they have taken note of the decision of the British Home Secretary.

Welcoming the development, the CBI officials in New Delhi hoped to bring Mallya back to India soon and said that the agency was always strong on facts and legally, it was confident while pursuing the extradition process.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley took a dig at the opposition over the British government approving the extradition of Mallya, saying that they were rallying around the Saradha scamsters but the Modi government has cleared one more step for bringing back the fugitive liquor baron.

"Modi government clears one more step to get Mallya extradited while opposition rallies around the Saradha scamsters," Jaitley, who is in the US for medical treatment, said in a tweet.

Jaitley was referring to opposition parties supporting West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in her sit-in against the Centre over the CBI investigation into the Saradha scam case in the state, which involves the Kolkata Police Commissioner, among others.

The decision of the British government gave the BJP bragging rights in the poll season with its leaders expected to tom-tom as a success during their speeches for the coming Lok Sabha elections. They are also expected to target the Congress which has often accuse the BJP leadership of not being successful in bringing back economic fugitives including Mallya.