High-Level ED-CBI-NIA Team To Visit London To Expedite Extradition Of India's Most Wanted Fugitives
high-level ed-cbi-nia team to visit london to expedite extradition of india’s most wanted fugitives
New Delhi: Senior officials of CBI, Enforcement Directorate and National Investigation Agency will be visiting the UK soon to expedite the extradition of India’s most wanted fugitives, including diamond trader Nirav Modi and Kingfisher Airlines promoter Vijay Mallya. The Indian government, through the Indian High Commission, has already initiated process to identify their properties abroad to take possession of the ‘proceeds of crime’.
The high-level team – which is headed by a senior officer from foreign ministry – will hold meetings with the UK authorities for seeking information on assets acquired by the fugitives in London along with details of their banking transactions, the Times of India reported.
Among the fugitives on the probe agencies’ radar include defence dealer Sanjay Bhandari, diamond trader Nirav Modi and Kingfisher Airlines promoter Vijay Mallya.
Arms dealer Bhandari had fled India in 2016 after income tax and ED initiated investigation in multiple defence deals negotiated during the UPA regime. He is considered close to Robert Vadra, husband of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi.
According to ED, Bhandari acquired properties in London and Dubai and transferred them to shell companies controlled by an alleged aide of Vadra.
Bhandari has appealed in higher courts in UK against his deportation to India. Nirav Modi and Mallya too have moved higher courts in the country against their extradition.
ED has already attached properties of Mallya and Modi in India and have sold their assets against their outstandings to banks.
As both UK and India are signatories to Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT), the two countries are legally bound to share information on criminal investigation related to economic offenders and others.