Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

India seeks Interpol arrest warrant against Vijay Mallya

India has approached Interpol for issuance of an arrest warrant against liquor baron Vijay Mallya in connection with a money laundering case being probed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The development comes in the backdrop of Britain recently declining India’s request to deport the businessman from there.


Officials said The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has forwarded a request in this regard to the global police after its sister probe agency ED sought a Red Corner Notice (RCN) against the beleaguered businessman to make him join the investigation. CBI acts as the nodal office for execution of Interpol warrants in India.

An RCN is issued “to seek the location and arrest of wanted persons with a view to extradition or similar lawful action” in a criminal case probe.

Once the notice has been issued, the Interpol seeks to arrest the person concerned in any part of the world and notifies that country to take his or her custody for further action.

The Enforcement Directorate has been trying to make Mallya join investigation “in person” in the over Rs 9000 (£1.08 billion) crore IDBI loan fraud case in which it had registered a criminal case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) early this year.

It has almost exhausted all legal options to make Mallya join the probe including issuance of a non-bailable warrant against him by a Mumbai court based on which it made the request for revocation of his passport and subsequently sought his deportation.

However, Britain has made it clear that Mallya cannot be deported and asked India to seek his extradition instead. The British government said it acknowledges “the seriousness of allegations” against Mallya and was “keen to assist” the Indian government in this case.

ED is also mulling attaching domestic assets and shares worth about Rs 9,000 crore (£1.08 billion) owned by Mallya in this case.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had on Wednesday said in Parliament that India will now have to initiate extradition process after a charge sheet is filed to bring back the embattled tycoon to face money laundering charges and to recover Rs 9,400 crore (£1.1 billion extended as loan to his now defunct Kingfisher Airlines by banks on which he has defaulted.

Cancellation of passport “does not result in automatic deportation, that is the stand taken by UK,” Jaitley had said.

Officials, however, had said filing a charge sheet is a time-consuming process and hence some other legal options will be explored to make Mallya join probe in India being conducted not only by ED but also the CBI.

Mallya had left India on March 2 using his diplomatic passport.

The ED has registered a money laundering case against Mallya and others based on an FIR registered last year by the CBI. The agency is also investigating the financial structure of Kingfisher Airlines and looking into whether kickbacks had been paid to secure loans

More For You

Ed-Miliband-India

Miliband said his meetings with Indian officials reinforced the commitment to work together in key areas, including grid modernisation, offshore wind, and industrial decarbonisation.

Exclusive: UK-India energy partnership strengthens as Miliband backs clean transition

BRITAIN sees India as a “crucial partner” as both countries aim to deepen their cooperation on clean energy, with a focus on renewables and climate action, UK secretary of state for energy security and net zero, Ed Miliband, said.

On a visit to India this week, Miliband highlighted India’s ambitious renewable energy targets and its commitment to achieving net zero by 2070.

Keep ReadingShow less
Bangladesh's former government accused of 'crimes against humanity'

Sheikh Hasina (Photo credit: Getty Images)

Bangladesh's former government accused of 'crimes against humanity'

BANGLADESH's former government was behind systematic attacks and killings of protesters as it strived to hold onto power last year, the UN said Wednesday (12), warning the abuses could amount to "crimes against humanity".

Before premier Sheikh Hasina was toppled in a student-led revolution last August, her government oversaw a systematic crackdown on protesters and others, including "hundreds of extrajudicial killings", the UN said.

Keep ReadingShow less
modi-ai-summit-getty

Modi stressed the importance of open-source AI ecosystems and quality data sets free from biases. (Photo credit: Getty Images)

Modi calls for global AI framework, India to host next AI summit

INDIA will host the next international summit on artificial intelligence, following its co-hosting of the AI Action Summit in Paris with France.

The announcement was made by French president Emmanuel Macron’s office after prime minister Narendra Modi expressed India’s willingness to host the event.

Keep ReadingShow less
Ed-Miliband

Miliband’s Delhi visit this week is aimed at increasing UK clean energy investment opportunities and placing British businesses at the forefront of the global race for renewables.

Miliband pushes clean energy ties in India

SECRETARY of state for energy security and net zero, Ed Miliband, arrived in New Delhi on Monday (10) for the fourth UK-India Energy Dialogue and to promote UK business interests at the India Energy Week global exhibition.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) said the aim of the visit is to unlock economic growth from clean energy transition, support new jobs, create export opportunities and tackle the climate crisis in partnership with India.

Keep ReadingShow less
Salman Rushdie

Rushdie was stabbed about 15 times: in the head, neck, torso and left hand, blinding his right eye and damaging his liver and intestines. (Photo: Getty Images)

Rushdie attack trial begins as jurors shown graphic details

JURORS heard how a knife attack on novelist Salman Rushdie unfolded in a matter of seconds at a 2022 New York talk and how close he came to death, in the prosecutor's opening statement on Monday (10) at the trial of the man accused of trying to murder the author.

A poet introducing the talk, on the subject of keeping writers safe from harm, was barely into his second sentence when defendant Hadi Matar bounded onto the Chautauqua Institution open-air stage and made about 10 running steps towards a seated Rushdie, Chautauqua District Attorney Jason Schmidt told the jury.

Keep ReadingShow less