CBI team to attend Mallya’s extradition trial in London from tomorrow

A team of CBI officers will attend the extradition trial of industrialist Vijay Mallya, who is facing a probe by the agency into alleged loan defaults of over Rs 9,000 crore, in a London court from tomorrow.

India’s case to bring back the 61-year old businessman will be represented through the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) of the British government.

CBI sources said the team led by Special Director Rakesh Asthana left for London today and would remain present during the trial starting at Westminster Magistrates’ Court tomorrow.

Mallya, who had shifted to the UK in March 2016, is wanted in India on charges relating to his defunct Kingfisher Airlines defaulting on loans from various Indian banks amounting to Rs. 9,000 crore.

The former Rajya Sabha member had told PTI during his numerous court appearances in London over the last few months that he had “done nothing wrong” and described the allegations against him as “fabricated”.

The trial starting tomorrow will be heard by Chief Magistrate Emma Louise Arbuthnot who, in a previous hearing, had highlighted prison conditions as a concern that has been “raised in extraditions to India before”.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), arguing on behalf of the Indian …read more