On Wednesday the Ministry of External Affairs has said that the United Kingdom has informed that it cannot deport Vijay Mallya to India for not owning a valid Indian passport and the UK Government has informed us that under the 1971 Immigration Act, the UK does not require an individual to hold a valid passport in order to remain in the UK if they have extant leave to remain as long as their passport was valid when leave to remain or enter the UK was conferred.
Vikas Swarup, the Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs has told that the UK acknowledges the seriousness of the allegations and is keen to assist the Government of India. They have asked the Governance of India to consider requesting mutual legal assistance or extradition.
Currently the Indian agencies are worried that Mr. Mallya’s case might go the Lalit Modi way and in Mr. Modi’s case too they have not been able to make headway in bringing him back and the Interpol has also not accepted the request for a Red Notice against him. The Article 9 of the treaty lists the grounds available to an accused person on which a request of extradition can be refused and the person can therefore challenges the Indian government’s move in the court there.
Mr. Mallya the promoter of the now defunct Kingfisher Airlines that owes over Rs. 9,000 crore to nationalized banks has flown out of the country on March 2, but the ED had served three notices for seeking his personal appearance to join the probe in the alleged Rs.900 crores IDBI Bank money laundering case which was registered against him, the airline and others.
