Mallya arrives for High Court appeal against extradition to India

Liquor baron Vijay Mallya arrived at the Royal Courts of Justice in London on Tuesday for his appeal against being extradited to India to face fraud and money laundering charges amounting to Rs 9,000 crores.

The 64-year-old former Kingfisher Airlines boss, who remains on bail since his arrest on an extradition warrant in April 2017, avoided the usual scrum of reporters at the court entrance and went in with his lawyers separately.

The High Court judges will begin hearing arguments against a magistrates’ court extradition order, signed off by former UK Home Secretary Sajid Javid in February last year.

Mallya had received permission to appeal on one ground, which challenges the Indian government's prima facie case against him of fraudulent intentions in acquiring bank loans for his now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines.

The hearing is scheduled for three days until Thursday, with a verdict unlikely right away but it would depend on how the hearing progresses.

Mallya remains on bail involving a bail bond worth 650,000 pounds and other restrictions on his travel while he contests that ruling.