The United Kingdom is believed to have assured India that it was seriously looking into New Delhi's request to extradite liquor baron Vijay Mallya and other Indian fugitives from the law who have taken refuge in the European nation.
The assurance came at a new round of two-day dialogue on matters related to extradition and mutual legal assistance between the officials of India and the UK which concluded here this evening.
According to sources, the UK delegation is learnt to have enquired from their Indian interlocutors about the nature of punishment likely to be awarded to Mallya should he be extradited. Mallya is under investigation for money laundering charges in a case of alleged default of bank loans worth around Rs.900 crore.
The two sides discussed several pending deportation cases involving Indians from the UK.
In November, India had asked Britain to extradite nearly 60 people wanted by it, including Mallya, so that they can face the Indian law for the offences committed by them. Britain also had handed over to India a list of 17 people whose custody it seeks under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty or against whom Letters Rogatory had been issued.
The MEA said the two sides held detailed and fruitful deliberations on the legal processes and procedures in either country and reviewed the requests for extradition and mutual legal assistance pending on either side.
Both sides reiterated their determination to strengthen legal cooperation and expedite the pending requests. It was agreed that the central authorities of both the countries would review further progress in these cases every six month through video conference.
The Indian delegation was led by the Joint Secretary, Consular, Passport and Visa in MEA and had representatives from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Law and Justice and investigating agencies, including CBI, Enforcement Directorate, and the state authorities concerned.
The UK delegation was led by the Head of the UK Central Authority for Extradition and Mutual Legal Assistance, the UK Home Office and representatives from the Crown Prosecution Service, and the UK High Commission in New Delhi.
The meeting was held pursuant to the decision taken during the visit of the UK Prime Minister to India in November 2016 whn she and Prime Minister Narendra Modi had directed that the officials dealing with extradition matters from both sides should meet at the earliest to develop better understanding of each countries’ legal processes and requirements; share best practices, and identify the causes of delays and expedite pending requests so that fugitives and criminals should not be allowed to escape the law.