Liquor baron Vijay Mallya, who is facing a charge of debt default of Rs 9,000 crore, will be extradited back to India from the United Kingdom, a London court ruled on Monday.
The Westminster Magistrates Court's Chief Magistrate Judge Emma Arbuthnot in London gave the ruling after finding merit in the charges of fraud, conspiracy and money laundering registered against him in India.
"I find that the allegations set out in the Request are extradition offences within the meaning of section 137(3) of the Extradition Act 2003," Judge Arbuthnot said in her ruling, adding, "I have found a prima facie case in relation to three possible charges".
The matter of Mallya's extradition has now been referred to UK's Secretary of State.
Mallya is wanted in India for alleged loan default to the tune of Rs 9,000 crore for the now defunct Kingfisher Airlines. The 62-year-old has the option of moving higher courts against the decision. The CBI and the ED will have 14 days to file an appeal.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is investigating the charges against him, welcomed the decision.
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"We hope to bring him soon and conclude the case. CBI has its own inherent strengths. We worked hard on this case. We are strong on Law and facts and we were confident while pursuing extradition process," the CBI spokesperson said.
On Sunday, a joint team of the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED), led by CBI Joint Director A Sai Manohar, left for the UK to attend court proceedings.
Mallya is facing money-laundering charges to the tune of Rs 9000 crores and left India in 2016, following which, India initiated extradition proceedings against him.