India to take all necessary steps for Mallya's extradition

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday said that India would take all necessary steps to ensure liquor baron Vijay Mallya's extradition from the United Kingdom.

"Hearing in the extradition case against Vijay Mallya has began at the Westminster Magistrates' court. And as in any court proceedings, there will be submissions both from defence and prosecutions," MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said.

"The Governmet of India would take all necessary steps to ensure that we do not lag behind our efforts towards extradition of Mallya to India," he added.

The extradition trial of Mallya, who is wanted in India for financial irregularities involving a total amount of Rs 9,000 crore as well as money laundering, began at the London's Westminster court on December 4, wherein Britain's Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) outlined the Indian government's case against him.

The Indian government through CPS has been contending in the court that liquor baron had misled banks back home with regard to his company's net worth while seeking loan totalling around Rs 2,000 crore.

A four-member CBI and Enforcement Directorate team from India also attended the court proceedings.

Mallya, who has been out on bail since Scotland Yard executed an extradition warrant in April this year, will be in the dock for the duration of the trial scheduled to end on December 14.