In a boost for investigating agencies, UK Home Secretary Sajid Javid on Monday approved fugitive liquor baron Vijay Mallya's extradition order, clearing decks for his return to India.
"On 3 February the Secretary of State, having carefully considered all relevant matters, signed the order for Vijay Mallya's extradition to India," said a UK Home Office spokesperson.
Mallya left India on March 2, 2016 after defaulting on loan amounting to Rs 9,000 crore he had taken for his now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines.
Soon after the news broke, Arun Jaitley, who is currently undergoing treatment in US, said it was another step to get Mallya home. He further contrasted the situation with the one playing out in Bengal, where CM Mamata Banerjee is sitting on dharna against the CBI for questioning the Kolkata Police commissioner in the Saradha chit fund scam.
The liquor baron had contested his extradition on the grounds that the case against him is "politically motivated" and the loans he has been accused of defrauding on were sought to keep his now-defunct airline afloat. "I did not borrow a single rupee. The borrower was Kingfisher Airlines. Money was lost due to a genuine and sad business failure. Being held as guarantor is not fraud," he said in a Twitter post on the issue. "I have offered to repay 100 per cent of the principal amount to them. Please take it," he said in another post.
Judge Arbuthnot was equally critical of the Indian banks for not using "common sense" when such loans were sanctioned.
Courtesy/By: Sakshi Shukla
|
05 Feb 2019
