Vijay Mallya's extradition underway, PM Modi spoke to UK PM May: MEA

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Gopal Baglay on Thursday said the process for extradition of now defunct Kingfisher Airlines owner Vijay Mallya is underway. 'Prime Minister Narendra Modi had raised the matter with British Prime Minister (Theresa May) during their meeting on the sidelines of G-20,' Baglay said.

'The fact that the Prime Minister raised the matter shows the importance India attaches to the issue,' he added. In a June hearing at London court, in a major setback to India, the court expressed surprise that New Delhi has not provided evidence to Mallya yet, who is battling a slew of cases in India over his default case involving Rs. 9,000 crore worth loans to a clutch of public sector banks.

The 61-year-old liquor baron has been out on bail, since his arrest in April in London.

The Westminster Magistrates' Court in London on July 6 heard the extradition case of Mallya and set the next date for September 14.

-PTI