The Indian government on Monday held talks with the UK on fugitive liquor baron Vijay Mallya's immigration and extradition process to get a postive outcome. Mallya's extradition hearing is scheduled to start from December 4 in London's Metropolitan Magistrates' Court.
Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State for Home Affairs, led the Indian delegation, which discussed the issue in details with the UK delegation led by UK's Minister of State for Immigration Brandon Lewis.
"The discussions covered a variety of important issues ranging from cooperation in matters of immigration, tackling extremism, extradition, cyber crimes, sharing of criminal records and social security for Indian workers returning from the UK," a senior Union Home Ministry official told Mint.
With over Rs 9,000 crore debts to Indian lenders, Mallya had fled to the UK in March 2016. Indian investigating agencies such as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) have accused Mallya of money laundering.
For some time now, India has been pushing the case of Mallya's extradition from the UK, and hope to start criminal proceedings against him in the country.
Earlier in April, Mallya was arrested in London by the Scotland Yard, but was granted bail within three hours. Mallya was arrested again in October, but got bail in no time.
"While seeking cooperation of the UK government in expediting India's 13 extradition requests, Rijiju also assured the visiting minister of full cooperation on behalf of the Indian government in the extradition of Mohammad Abdul Shakur, who is wanted in the UK on murder charges," the ministry official told the business daily.
However, extradition processes are not easy. Since India signed a extradition treaty with the UK in 1992, only one person -- Samirbhai Vinubhai Patel -- was extradited in 2012.
Mallya is wanted in India for several cases — from FERA violation to non-repayment of loans and money laundering.
The absconding Indian businessman has also been named in Paradise Papers leak, which was investigated by Indian Express in collaboration with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) and German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung.
According to document surfaced in Paradise Papers, liquor giant Diageo, which acquired Mallya's United Spirits Limited (USL), waived nearly $1.5 billion of debt of Mallya and his companies.
