Vijay Mallya Appears For Extradition Case Hearing In London, Granted Bail

The chief magistrate granted bail to Mallya until December 4. The next hearing has been set for July 6.

Updated on: 13 June 2017 6:41 pm

Vijay Mallya, the embattled tycoon who is wanted in India on loan defaults to several banks, on Tuesday claimed that he has "enough evidence" to plead his case as a UK court granted him bail until December 4.

The 61-year-old former chief of erstwhile Kingfisher Airlines appeared before Westminster Magistrates' Court in London for his extradition case hearing.

Chief Magistrate Emma Louise Arbuthnot granted bail to Mallya until December 4. The next hearing has been set for July 6.

Mallya denied all allegations and said he "will continue to deny them", just before walking into a court in UK for his extradition case hearing.

"I have not eluded any court. I have no expectations, listen to what court says," he said, according to ANI.
Mallya was arrested by the British authorities in April on India's extradition request in connection with a Rs. 900 crore loan default case of IDBI Bank being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). He was released on bail within hours by a London court.

Mallya was recently spotted attending the India-Pakistan Champions Trophy match at Edgbaston.

"Wide sensational media coverage on my attendance at the IND v PAK match at Edgbaston. I intend to attend all games to cheer the India team," Mallya tweeted after the match.

READ ALSO: Absconding Vijay Mallya Booed With 'Chor, Chor' Chants At Oval

"When the case returns to court, the district judge is likely to set down a timetable for the service of any evidence to be submitted by either side in the proceedings, and list a date for a final hearing.

"There might be a few more hearings in this case in the coming months to deal with case management or any issues that arise, before the final hearing takes place, at which the full arguments from both sides in this case will be heard by the district judge," explained Jasvinder Nakhwal, partner at Peters and Peters Solicitors LLP and member of the UK's Extradition Lawyers Association.

Britain’s Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which is arguing on behalf of the Indian authorities, had met a joint team of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials in London last month to thrash out details of the case.

"Our aim is to build a strong, infallible case and these meetings will help resolve issues across the table. The CPS will be arguing based on documents provided by CBI and ED, therefore a joint team is here to address queries they may have," official sources had said after the meeting in May.

If the district judge rules in favour of extradition at the end of the trial, the UK home secretary must order Mallya’s extradition within two months of the appropriate day. However, the case can go through a series of appeals before arriving at a conclusion.

India and the UK have an Extradition Treaty, signed in 1992, but so far only one extradition has taken place under the arrangement – Samirbhai Vinubhai Patel, who was sent back to India last October to face trial in connection with his involvement in the post-Godhra riots of 2002.

(With PTI inputs)