The CBI has described as a "big victory" and a "milestone" the order of a UK court rejecting beleaguered liquor baron Vijay Mallya's application seeking leave to appeal in the country's Supreme Court the verdict clearing his extradition to India in bank fraud case.
The 64-year-old businessman had 14 days to file his latest application to seek permission to move the higher court on the High Court judgment from April 20, which dismissed his appeal against a Westminster Magistrates' Court extradition order certified by the UK Home Secretary.
The latest decision, referred to as a "pronouncement", means that under the India-UK Extradition Treaty, the UK Home Office is now expected to formally certify the court order for Mallya to be extradited to India within 28 days.
"Vide order dated 20.04.2020, a Division Bench of UK High Court has dismissed Mallya's appeal against the lower court order recommending his extradition to face trial in India," CBI spokesperson R K Gaur said.
The decision of the UK High Court of Justice to order the extradition of Mallya is a milestone in the CBI's quest for excellence and a reminder that economic offenders, facing probes in large value frauds, cannot consider themselves as above the process merely because they have changed jurisdictions, he said.
"The judgment also vindicates the painstaking investigation by CBI, especially since Mallya had raised various issues with regard to the admissibility of evidence, the fairness of investigation itself and extraneous consideration, with a view to divert attention from his own acts," the spokesperson said.
He said, "The extradition of Vijay Mallya was sought to face trial in a 2015 case for offences of cheating, criminal conspiracy and abuse of official position by public servants, wherein the allegations of conspiring with public servants and dishonestly defrauding the IDBI bank to the extent of Rs 900 crore."