Making consistent, repeated attempts to get Vijay Mallya extradited: Centre to SC

New Delhi: The government on Monday told the Supreme Court that it is making “consistent” and “repeated” attempts to extradite Vijay Mallya, chairman of the now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines, but it had been stalled by “parallel” legal proceedings underway in the UK. While the British government had refused to share details of the extradition process, it had assured New Delhi of a quick decision on the subject, the government told the top court.

Though there has been no official confirmation so far of the nature of these legal proceedings pending in the UK, legal experts have speculated that Mallya - who has been declared a ‘fugitive economic offender’ in India - may have applied for asylum in the UK after running out of other options.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing before a bench led by Justice U U Lalit, told the court that efforts were being made at the highest executive and political levels to get him extradited. He, however, cited the British response to the Indian government to claim that there was no outer deadline when the British would complete the processes. It had assured India that it would be done as soon as possible, he said.