E-Paper
India says ‘fully committed’ to bring fugitives back days after Vijay Mallya's birthday video surfaces
This comes a day after Union minister of state in the Ministry of External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh called for the swift return of liquor baron Vijay Mallya.
India is “fully committed” that fugitives and people “wanted by law” in the country return here to face trial before the courts, said Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Friday during a press briefing.
Jaiswal said that India is in talks with several countries and “process are on” to bring such people back, however, there are “several layers of legalities” involved in such cases.
“We remain fully committed that people who are fugitive and wanted by law in India, return to the country. For this, we are in talks with several governments and processes are on,” Jaiswal said.
“There are several layers of legalities involved but we remain committed to bring them back to the country so they can face trial before the courts here,” he added.
Also read: Can’t brush aside attacks on minorities in Bangladesh; 2,900 documented cases: India
This comes a day after Union minister of state in the Ministry of External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh on Thursday called for the swift return of businessman and liquor baron Vijay Mallya.
"Action will be taken. Such people flee the country out of fear," he said, adding that even terrorists can be extradited these days while referring to Tahawwur Rana, a key accused in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.
"No one would have imagined that even terrorists could be extradited, but one of them was brought back," he said.
Also read: Hope US will address delays, disruptions in H-1B visa application process: India
On Tuesday, the Bombay High Court warned Vijay Mallya to return to India or the court will not hear his plea challenging the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act.
This comes after the liquor baron was seen partying with another fugitive, Lalit Modi, during the former's 70th birthday in London, in a video shared by the latter on Monday.
In the video, Lalit Modi, along with Vijay Mallya, appeared to mock both of them as two “biggest fugitives”.
“We are the two fugitives, the biggest fugitives of India," he is heard saying.
