Cannot set timeline for Vijay Mallya's extradition to India: UK envoy

UK government cant set a timeline for extrition of fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya though it is determined to ensure that criminals can't escape justice by crossing national borders, British High Commissioner Sir Philip Barton said on Thursday.

Asked during an online media briefing wher Mallya has sought asylum in UK, envoy said his government never comments on such issues.

" UK government and courts, which are independent of government, are absolutely clear about ir roles in preventing people avoid justice by moving to ar country. We are all determined to play our part in any case, and to make sure that we are working toger to ensure that criminals can't escape justice by crossing national borders," he said.

He said extrition of Mallya is an ongoing legal case and that UK government does t have anything new on it.

" extrition of Vijay Mallya is an ongoing legal case and I can't comment any furr on it. I can't say anything at all about timescales," Sir Barton said, replying to a question on when UK authorities are extriting fugitive businessman to India.

At same time, newly-appointed envoy said UK government is aware of importance India attaches to case.

Last month, India said it has urged UK t to consider any request for asylum by Mallya as re appeared to be ground for his persecution in country.

UK government, earlier, indicated that Mallya is unlikely to be extrited to India anytime soon, saying re is a legal issue that needed to be resolved before his extrition can be arranged.

In May, Mallya lost his appeals in UK Supreme Court against his extrition to India to face money laundering and fraud charges.

UK top court's decision marked a major setback to 64-year-old businessman as it came weeks after he lost his High Court appeal in April against an extrition order to India.

A spokesperson in British High Commission here said last month that re was a legal issue that needed to be resolved before Mallya's extrition can be arranged.

"Under United Kingdom law, extrition cant take place until it is resolved. issue is confidential and we cant go into any detail. We cant estimate how long this issue will take to resolve. We are seeking to deal with this as quickly as possible," official h said.

Mallya has been based in UK since March 2016 and remains on bail on an extrition warrant executed three years ago by Scotland Yard on April 18, 2017.

High Court verdict in April upheld 2018 ruling by Chief Magistrate Emma Arbutht at end of a year-long extrition trial in December 2018 that former Kingfisher Airlines boss h a "case to answer" in Indian courts.

(Photo Credit: PTI)