Mallya extradition: Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi meets UK counterpart

New Delhi: Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi met his British counterpart Patsy Wilkinson in the national capital today. Reports suggest that the extradition of fugitive liquor baron Vijay Mallya was brought up during the meeting.

The absconding businessman was arrested by Scotland Yard last month on fraud allegations, which triggered his extradition process in the British courts.
However, Mallya was released on bail as he assured the court to abide by all conditions associated with extradition proceedings, including surrendering his passport.

Despite the extradition treaty signed in 1992 between India and the UK, only one successful extradition has taken place - Samirbhai Vinubhai Patel, who was sent back to India in October 2016 to face trial over his involvement in the post-Godhra riots of 2002.

Last February, India gave a formal extradition request for Mallya through a note verbale. Meanwhile, a joint team of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) reached London on Tuesday.

Last month, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) informed that Mallya's extradition has been stratified by the Secretary of State of the U.K. Government and added that a warrant would soon be released against him.