Secret Proceedings In UK Causing Delay In Vijay Mallya Extradition: Centre To SC

The extradition process of fugitive business tycoon Vijaya Mallya has been delayed due to secret proceedings in the UK, the Centre informed the Supreme Court.

Vijay Mallya

New Delhi: The extradition process of the 64-year-old fugitive businessman, Vijay Mallya seems to have been stalled. In April this year, the former member of parliament had lost a High Court appeal in the United Kingdom against his extradition order to India. Now according to the Centre "secret" extradition process was going on to bring Mallya to the country but it was not aware of its status. A report by PTI said on Monday, Advocate Rajat Nair who was appearing for the Centre, told the Supreme court that an extradition request has been made as per the direction of the court. "Some secret extradition proceedings are going on to which we are not a party. Extradition proceedings have been upheld by the highest court of UK but it has not been happening as of now," said Nair in the report. Advocate Ankur Saigal, appearing for Mallya, has also said that he was not aware of what kind of proceedings are going on. But according to a report by Hindustan Times the extradition process has become stuck due to the secret proceedings. The report by the daily says that an application seeking asylum is the likely reason. The report says 'under UK rules, until an asylum application is determined, extradition cannot be carried out.' In June this year, the Indian government had asked the UK not to consider an asylum application by Mallya. The British government at the time had informed that there were 'further legal issue' that needs to be resolved before the extradition can happen. Now, the bench of Justices U U Lalit and Ashok Bhushan has told Mallya's lawyers to apprise it by November 2 by when can Mallya appear before the court and when the "secret" proceedings are going to end. The apex court had earlier directed Mallya to appear before it on October 5. Mallya who fled India in 2016, is wanted in India for financial offenses amounting to Rs 9,000 crore borrowed by his now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines (KFA) from several Indian banks. He has denied wrongdoing and has said that he intends to repay those loans. In April 2017, Mallya was arrested in London on India's request for extradition and was granted bail shortly after. He was again arrested in London in October that same year, following an Enforcement Directorate (ED) affidavit. The flashy businessman was ordered to be extradited to India back in December 2018 on a request from the Indian government. After losing his appeal, in May this year, he had filed an appeal in the UK Supreme Court which he lost as well.