Vijay Mallya extradition: UK court asks Indian govt to submit videos of Mumbai jail

The Westminster Magistrate's Court which heard the final set of arguments in Vijay Mallya's extradition case, asked the Indian government to submit videos of the barack in Arthur Road Jail where it intends to imprison the former liquor baron. 

The court, while granting bail to Mallya, asked the Indian side represented by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to submit video evidence by September 12 to allay the apprehension of human rights' violation raised by the defence counsel. 

Interacting with reporters outside the court, Mallya denied the money laundering charges against him and termed them ‘completely false’. 

He was quoted by PTI as saying, “The allegations of money laundering and stealing money are completely false”, adding, “At the end of the day, the courts will decide.”

He further said that he has not filed a clemency plea and will settle all his dues. “I have not applied for any clemency plea. I am ready to settle my dues,” said Mallya.

Taking note of the evidence provided by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Judge Arbuthnot at the last hearing on April 27 ruled that the proofs submitted by the Indian agency will be admissible in the case. 

The CBI had then submitted a detailed set of documents to the UK court, which includes its case of conspiracy against former IDBI Bank Deputy Managing Director BK Batra, who was referred to in court as a new ‘villain’ of sorts in the case. 

As per the Indian investigating agency, Batra reportedly helped Mallya to sanction some of the loans to the now-defunct without following due diligence procedures.

If the verdict is in favour of the Indian authorities, the UK home secretary will have two months to sign Mallya’s extradition order. However, both the parties will get the chance to appeal in higher courts in UK against the Westminster court’s verdict.

(With inputs from PTI)