London: Vijay Mallya’s plea against extradition to India rejected by UK High Court

The UK High Court has rejected liquor baron Vijay Mallaya’s plea against his extradition to India. As per reports, Mallya had appeared in the High Court against his extradition in February this year.

#BREAKING – Vijay Mallya’s appeal against extradition dismissed.@sanjaysuri88 with details. pic.twitter.com/BHwuFoER0h

— News18 (@CNNnews18) April 20, 2020

Lord Justice Stephen Irwin and Justice Elisabeth Laing, the two presiding justices hearing the appeal in a two-judge bench of the Royal Courts of Justice in London rejected the appeal today. The verdict was reportedly handed down remotely, due to the coronavirus situation.

Mallaya had appealed against the verdict of a lower court in 2018. Mallya is wanted in India as an economic offender in a 9000 crore loan fraud case.

After the UK High Court’s verdict, the case will now go to Home Secretary Preeti Patel for a final decision on this regard.

The justices, in a 46 page judgement, stated, “In the judgment, the SDJ (senior district judge Emma Arbuthnot was entitled to find that there was a prima facie case of fraud by false representation. We reject the submission that the SDJ was wrong to find a prima facie case of conspiracy to defraud”.

“It is clear beyond any doubt that the SDJ directed herself properly. It is clear she had the criminal burden and standard in mind when she considered whether there was a prima facie case”, the verdict added, as per a report in the Hindustan Times.

Mallya’s lawyer Claire Montgomery had appealed against the SDJ’s verdict on six grounds. The six grounds were dismissed by the High Court bench.

Mallya was declared a fugitive economic offender in India. He is wanted by the CBI and the ED.

Last year, Mallya had claimed that the Indian authorities had already attached his properties worth more than what he owed to the banks.