Lalit Modi’s extradition may take a year

[Hindustani78]

A file photo of Vijay Mallya.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...dering-case/article19791049.ece?homepage=true
London, October 03, 2017 17:36 IST
Updated: October 03, 2017 21:29 IST

He says he had “done nothing wrong” and the allegations against him were ”fabricated”.

Vijay Mallya was on Tuesday re-arrested and released on bail in London on new charges relating to the Enforcement Directorate’s money laundering case against him.

Appearing in court, Mr. Mallya spoke twice, first to confirm his name and personal details, and then to respond “no” to the question of whether he consented to his extradition.

Mr. Mallya has been battling the Indian government’s attempts to extradite him to India to face charges relating to fraud and money laundering. Ahead of the hearing, Mr. Mallya said he had “done nothing wrong” and described the allegations he was facing as “fabricated.”

Speaking for the Crown Prosecution Service, which is pursuing the case on behalf of the Indian government, barrister Mark Summers said that the supplemental money laundering charges were made in India on June 14. He said that the allegations related to the existing charge of fraud. “The money laundering charge is founded on the same facts…it is concerned with the destination of the money,” he told the court.

“The government alleges that some may have ended up in Force India Formula 1,” he added, when asked for further details by the Chief Magistrate Emma Arbuthnot.

While the additional charges add a new level of complexity to the case - requiring further submissions from both sides, including for India to update its outline of the case, - both sides are pushing for the existing dates for the hearing (December 4) to be maintained.

“Naturally we were concerned about the implication that this has for the timetable and the hearing - we are keen to keep the same hearing and that is the date the government has pushed for,” said barrister Ben Watson, representing Mr. Mallya.

“We don’t want this happening on a regular basis,” said Ms. Arbuthnot of the addition of the new charges, warning that it could put the dates for the hearing at risk. She concurred with a defense request that no further new material should be produced in relation to the case.

Mr. Mallya was arrested on 18 April this year, after the extradition request was issued on 31 January. A number of case and management hearings have been taking place ahead of the extradition hearing, which begins on December 4 and lasts for 8 days. The next hearing is due to take place on November 20. Mr. Mallya remains on bail until December 4.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india...deportation/story-YPpUtNEpLWzZq86eK9CqgL.html
The CBI officials feel the ED’s move will eliminate the chance of any further procedural delay in bringing the fugitive liquor baron back to India
india Updated: Oct 06, 2017 13:35 IST

Rajesh Ahuja
Hindustan Times, New Delhi

The Enforcement Directorate has decided to join a CBI’s request for the extradition of liquor baron Vijay Mallya instead of initiating separate proceedings against him. (Hindustan Times)

Three days ago, when the UK authorities arrested Vijay Mallya on the request of Enforcement Directorate (ED), the agency strategically clubbed its request for extradition of the fugitive liquor baron with that of the CBI’s.

The CBI’s request has already been pending there since April.

The clubbing of requests is a move to expedite the extradition of the embattled 61-year-old businessman, who has been living in the UK on a self-imposed exile since he left India on March last year.

The CBI officials feel the ED’s move will eliminate the chance of any further procedural delay in bringing him back to India, believe CBI officials.

“Both the CBI and the ED are working in close coordination for the extradition of Mallya. The ED’s charges of money laundering against Mallya will strengthen the CBI’s request for his extradition,” said a senior CBI official who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The official added the investigators from both the agencies discussed the move in detail before the ED went ahead to join the CBI.

The UB Group chief was arrested for the second time in the UK on Tuesday after the ED pressed money laundering charges against him.

Earlier he was arrested in April on the charges pressed by the CBI. On both occasions, Mallya was released on bail.

The extradition hearing against Mallya, in which the UK’s Crown Prosecution Agency will represent both the ED and the CBI, will begin on December 4.

The CBI probed charges of bank loan default to the tune of Rs 9,000 crore against Mallya and filed a chargesheet against him.

Following the CBI probe, the ED initiated it’s money laundering probe against the flamboyant businessman and the Kingfisher Airlines he owned in January last year.

The ED officials say they issued three summons to the fugitive liquor baron in March and April last year but he didn’t join the probe.

Since then on the ED’s request, Mallya’s passport has been revoked. The court first issued a non-bailable warrant against him and then declared him proclaimed offender. Subsequently, the ED attached his properties worth Rs 1,850 crore.

The ED has also attached his properties worth Rs 8,040 crore (market value) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act after the court-mandated attachment of properties on account of Mallya being declared a proclaimed offender.

The agency formally charged Mallya in June this year listing out instances how he allegedly diverted money taken on loan for other purposes.

Mallya has repeatedly denied all the charges.