Reacting to reports of India being mocked at the London court during the extradition hearing of absconding liquor baron Vijay Mallya over delay in providing evidence, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday claimed that the documents related to Mallya’s extradition were sent to the UK in February itself while supporting documents were also handed over to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) much before the June 13 hearing.
CBI also clarified that the June 13 hearing in the Westminster Magistrates' Court in London was not related to Mallya’s extradition but was “for case management review”.
“The purpose of case management review is to determine further steps to be taken in the case and to draw a timetable for extradition proceedings. It is not extradition hearing,” CBI spokespersonR K gaur was quoted by Times of India as saying.
Asserting that there was no delay “whatsoever”, the agency said that the main chargesheet and supplementary chargesheet of Rs 900 crore fraud against Mallya, extradition dossier, relied upon documents, non-bailable warrant, sworn affidavit of CBI SP and other documents were forwarded before the June 13 hearing.
CBI also clarified that the UK court had not criticised India’s extradition request during the hearing.
“During the hearing on June 13, when the counsel of fugitive Mallya sought a date for March-April, 2018, Aaron Watkins of CPS opposed the same. To justify a later date, the defence counsel raised the issue of delay, which is nothing but a figment of his imagination.
The Specialist Prosecutor of CPS confirmed that during the proceedings on June 13, there was no criticism of the extradition request or of the Indian government. Senior district judge fixed next CMR hearing on July 6, 2017 when the dates for extradition hearing will be decided,” said Gaur.
It was reported yesterday that the Indian government, specifically the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED), failed to present evidence to support its request to extradite Mallya to India to face charges of alleged fraud.
Yesterday, the ED filed a charge sheet against Mallya and others in the IDBI-KFA bank loan money laundering case at a Mumbai court.
The 57-page charge sheet or prosecution complaint, with voluminous annexures, was filed under various sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) before a special anti-money laundering court here.
Mallya, who is facing a slew of cases in India over his default case involving Rs 9,000 crore worth loans, on Tuesday taunted Indian media saying "you can keep dreaming about a billion pounds", after being granted bail until December 4, when the final hearing of the case is likely to begin.
