ED to invoke India-UK treaty for Mallya extradition

The Enforcement Directorate is likely to make a fresh bid to extradite liquor baron Vijay Mallya from the United Kingdom, even as it is planning to start proceedings to attach his assets in connection with its ongoing probe into the Rs 900 crore IDBI loan default case.

The ED will soon file its request before the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to send an extradition plea under the India-UK Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty to the UK.

The ED had got a non-bailable warrant (NBW) issued by a Mumbai court against Mallya, seeking execution of the 1992 treaty between the two countries against a fugitive. The treaty can be invoked in a criminal probe case seeking the "transfer of persons, including persons in custody, for the purpose of assisting in investigations or giving evidence".

This move is a better option for the ED as regular extradition takes time because the agency has to first file a chargesheet and then notify the counterpart country to send the fugitive back.