Mallya Gets Bail After Brief Arrest, But MEA Says Extradition Soon
Vijay Mallya is wanted in India for a loan default of over Rs 9,000 crore.
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- Liquor baron Vijay Mallya was arrested by the Scotland Yard in London on Tuesday.
- Mallya was produced at the Westminster Magistrates’ Court.
- Approximately three hours after his arrest, Mallya was granted bail by the court.
- ED lawyer, Hiten Venegaonkar, said the arrest was to secure his presence and the agency did not expect jail custody.
- Mallya later tweeted and dismissed news of his arrest as “usual Indian media hype”.
'Glad Some Media Putting Facts in Perspective'
A few hours after his release, Mallya was seen being active on Twitter and personally responding to several people, including news publications.
He tweeted saying he was thankful for some publications “putting facts in perspective”.
MEA Statement on Mallya's Arrest
The External Affairs Ministry issued a statement on Mallya’s arrest, saying:
Mallya's Arrest a Success of Law Enforcement Agencies: Ex-CBI Chief
Former CBI Director Anil Sinha said the Mallya’s arrest was a "success" of law enforcement agencies and that efforts to bring him back would "fructify".
Sinha said the arrest also signifies the strong resolve of law enforcement agencies and the government.
It was during Sinha's tenure as the CBI chief that the first case against Mallya was registered for alleged loan default of over Rs 900 crore involving IDBI Bank, even when lenders were not willing to file FIR against him.
Sinha, as the CBI chief between 2014 and 2016, had pushed for action against bank frauds and loan defaults.
Mallya's First Reaction After Arrest
Vijay Mallya tweeted a few minutes after news of bail being granted to him broke. Mallya, who has cited his lack of faith in the Indian judiciary and politics among other things for not returning to India, called the reports of his arrest “usual Indian media hype”.
Modi Govt Did What Previous Govts Couldn't: Union Minister Jitendra Singh
Stop Misleading the People, Says Congress Randeep Surjewala
Reacting to the news of Mallya’s arrest and subsequent bail, Congress leader Randeep Surjewala said:
Vijay Mallya Gets Bail
Vijay Mallya has been granted bail by the Westminster Magistrates’ Court, three hours after he was arrested in London, reported CNN-News18.
Enforcement Directorate’s lawyer, Hiten Venegaonkar, said this is part of the expected proceedings and the authorities’ agenda was to secure his presence.
Former Kingfisher Employee 'Ecstatic' at Mallya's Arrest
Former Kingfisher employee Neetu Shukla says Mallya’s arrest is a “small step, but a major victory”.
Scotland Yard's Official Statement
According to television reports, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley made a personal request to the UK Prime Minister, when he visited in February.
Vijay Mallya Arrested
Liquor baron Vijay Mallya has been arrested in London by Scotland Yard.
He will be produced at the UK’s Westminster Magistrates’ Court later on Tuesday. He now also faces extradition, “specifically on India’s request”.
The wanted person has a right to appeal to the higher courts against any decision, all the way up to the Supreme Court.
Mallya is wanted in India for a loan default of over Rs 9,000 crore. Earlier in March, the British government certified India’s request to extradite Mallya and sent the request to a district judge for further action.
The Central Bureau of Investigation will likely make its way to the UK in relation to the case.
Timeline of the Mallya Case
- In 2016 a consortium of 17 banks moved the Debt Recovery Tribunal to hear a July 2013 petition to recover dues of Rs 9,081 crore, including interest, that was loaned to Mallya’s now defunct Kingfisher Airlines.
- Mallya left India on 2 March 2016 for London.
- Mallya offered to negotiate with the banks for a one-time settlement of dues and sought the Supreme Court’s intervention.
- Banks had previously shot down Mallya’s offer of Rs 6,868 crore in April 2016 to settle the dues.
- A formal extradition request by the MEA in respect to Mallya was handed over to the British High Commission vide our note verbale dated 8 February 2017.
- The UK Home Office, London, vide their note verbale dated 21 February 2017 conveyed that the request has been certified by the Secretary of State and sent to Westminster Magistrates’ Court
- Delhi Court Issues a Non-Bailable Warrant Against Mallya on 12 April 2017.
- Setting in motion the process of extradition, the British government certifies India’s request and sends it to a district judge for further action in March 2017.
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