London: Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla held talks with British Home Secretary Priti Patel here Thursday. During the meeting harsh Vardhan Shringla strongly underlined India’s interest in the expeditious extradition of former Kingfisher Airlines chief Vijay Mallya, who has completed all the legal processes related to extradition from the UK, and fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi.
On the last leg of his three-nation Europe tour, Shringla visited here where he held discussions with several UK ministers and officials and during his interactions with Patel and UK Foreign Office Minister for South Asia, Lord Tariq Ahmad, the issue of economic offenders being extradited to face the Indian judicial system was among the issues raised.
“We strongly underlined our interest in seeing the early, expeditious extradition of Vijay Mallya, who is an economic offender who has completed all extradition procedures in the UK. We would like him to return to India as soon as possible,” said Shringla.
“Also, Nirav Modi. I raised this with both Lord Ahmad and the Home Secretary, and both took very careful note of our priority and sentiments in that regard,” added Shringla.
Mallya, wanted in India over fraud and money laundering charges in relation to loans taken out by his now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines from state-owned Indian banks, has been found to have a case to answer in India by the UK courts. He is currently on bail, undergoing a ‘confidential’ legal issue before Patel can consider signing off on his extradition order.
On the other hand, Modi, the fugitive diamond merchant accused of fraud and money laundering in relation to the state-owned Punjab National Bank (PNB), is currently lodged in Wandsworth Prison in London as he fights his extradition to India at Westminster Magistrates’ Court.
Shringla arrived here Tuesday following visits to Paris and Berlin. He has held a series of meetings to cover a wide range of issues, including the India-UK vaccine partnership in a post-coronavirus world and climate change as well as highlighting India’s outlook on the growing importance of the Indo-Pacific region.
On India-UK bilateral ties, the Foreign Secretary noted the backdrop of Britain’s exit from the European Union (EU) paving the way for a reset in the relationship – both with the UK and the EU.
“We are looking at early harvest deals, which would bring benefits to both our countries, followed by a more detailed, either preferential trade agreement or a free trade agreement,” said Shringla.