CBI gets non-bailable warrant against Vijay Mallya

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has secured a non-bailable warrant against absconding businessman Vijay Mallya from a special court in Mumbai.

“We have obtained a non-bailable warrant against Mallya for money laundering and defaulting on loans,” a CBI official said, requesting anonymity. “This warrant will now be used to expedite his extradition from the UK.”

A court in Mumbai had declared Mallya an offender in a money laundering case in June, following a petition by the Enforcement Directorate.

The former billionaire caught creditors, to whom his defunct Kingfisher Airlines Ltd owes more than Rs9,000 crore, unawares by flying out of India days before they approached the Supreme Court to restrain him from leaving the country. Mallya later claimed that “conditions were not favourable” for his return to India.

In April, the ministry of external affairs suspended Mallya’s passport and formally requested the UK government to deport him. The UK declined to deport him, but stated that it would aid the Indian government with his extradition.

CBI is confident that with the non-bailable warrant against Mallya, they have an air-tight case to bring him back to India.

“We are now going to forward this to the UK government and they will take it forward from there to extradite Mallya,” the CBI official added.