Vijay Mallya loses appeal in UK court, faces extradition

Fugitive Indian businessman Vijay Mallya faces extradition in the next 28 days. File photo courtesy: Wikimedia
Fugitive Indian businessman Vijay Mallya faces extradition in the next 28 days. File photo courtesy: Wikimedia

Fugitive Indian businessman Vijay Mallya now faces extradition after he was denied permission to appeal to the UK Supreme Court challenging the High Court order which upheld his extradition ruling. Indian-origin UK Home Secretary Priti Patel is now expected to take the final call and formally certify the court order for Mallya to be extradited to India within 28 days.

On April 20, the High Court had dismissed his appeal against a Westminster Magistrates' Court's extradition order certified by the UK Home Secretary. The 64-year-old businessman then had 14 days to file an application to seek permission to move the higher court against the April judgment, which he has now lost.  

This latest ruling will now go back for recertification by Patel.

Mallya tweeted early on Thursday, asking the Indian government to unconditionally accept his offer of bank loan repayment and close the case against him. 

"Congratulations to the government for a Covid-19 relief package. They can print as much currency as they want BUT should a small contributor like me who offers 100 per cent payback of state-owned bank loans be constantly ignored? Please take my money unconditionally and close," his tweet read. 

The businessman is wanted in India on charges of fraud and money laundering amounting to INR 9,000 crore in unpaid bank loans after the collapse of his defunct company Kingfisher Airlines.