SCOOP: Vijay Mallya tried to use 'bad prison condition' with the Swiss to stop India accessing his bank accounts

In a massive scoop concerning fugitive economic offender Vijay Mallya - who is close to being extradited back to India from UK - Republic TV has accessed the Swiss case documents of the former Kingfisher boss, which reveal the strategy he applied in his to attempt to prevent India from accessing his Swiss bank account details.

The documents, which have been exclusively accessed by Republic TV, indicate that the ex-chairman of UB Spirits used the 'bad prison condition' argument in front of a Swiss court, but the court did not pay heed to his request and called it 'inadmissable'. Mallya had attempted to use the same argument in the Westminster Magistrates' court during his extradition hearing, as a result of which the judge asked Indian authorities to present a video of Barrack Number 12 of Mumbai's Arthur Road Jail where he is designated to be brought in the event that he is extradited. Furthermore, the very mention of 'prison' in this particular setting - with no more than a reveal of his Bank account details on the cards - comes across as suspicious.

It was in November 2018 that Mallya had sent his lawyers to Switzerland to stop the Indian agencies from accessing his Swiss bank details. He then lost the battle in court against the country's government, but has the opportunity to appeal against the order. 

The loss in Switzerland was compounded by the UK court and now government agreeing to extradite him (as the process currently stands). UK Secretary of State Sajid Javid signed orders relating to the extradition of Mallya to India. 

Following were the details of the case in Switzerland, accessed by Republic TV just moments after the UK Secretary of State put pen to paper on Mallya's extradition:

• Mallya fought to prevent the transfer to India of information related to his Swiss bank accounts. Three judgments handed down by the Federal Supreme Court on December 12 and 13, 2018, dismissed his appeals.
• The request for assistance came from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) which had filed a suit against Mallya for fraud and money laundering in relation to over one billion euro in non-repaid loans. 
• The CBI had asked Swiss authorities to block funds sheltered in four accounts. The accounts included one in the name of Vijay Mallya held at Edmond de Rothschild (Switzerland) SA and three accounts in the names of Drayton Resources, Black Forest Holdings and Harrison Finance held with Compagnie Bancaire Helvétique (CBH), along with information on five of his companies. The request of the CBI was accepted by the Public Prosecutor of Geneva in August 2018.

DOUBLE WIN: As UK Signs Off On Vijay Mallya's Extradition, India To Also Get Details Of Absconder's Swiss Bank Accounts

After the orders were signed, the liqour baron released a statement saying that he would exercise his 'right to appeal', which was given to him by the Westminster Magistrates' court when it confirmed his extradition to India in 2018.