PM Modi seeks UK’s cooperation in extradition of economic offenders

Narendra Modi and UK Prime Minister also talked about the complete range of India-UK ties on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Hamburg.

As India works hard to ensure return of fugitive liquor baron Vijay Mallya, Prime Minister Narendra Modi pressed upon his British counterpart Theresa May to ensure UK’s cooperation to bring back economic offenders.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi (L) with UK counterpart Theresa May in Hamburg, Germany, on Saturday. (Twitter)

Mallya has been in the UK for months, escaping arrest warrants against him, while a court in London is also hearing a case regarding his return to India.

Modi on Saturday met May during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Hamburg and sought UK’s help in this regard.

Both leaders also talked about the complete range of India-UK ties.

In a tweet after the meeting, external affairs ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay said the Prime Minister asked for UK’s “cooperation for return of escaped Indian economic offenders”.

Mallya, who is wanted in India for Kingfisher Airlines’ default on loans worth nearly Rs 9,000 crore, has been in the UK since March, 2016.

India and the UK have an Extradition Treaty, signed in 1992, but so far only one extradition has taken place under the arrangement - Samirbhai Vinubhai Patel, who was sent back to India last October to face trial in connection with his involvement in the post-Godhra riots of 2002.

“Prime Ministers @narendramodi and @theresa_may met and held talks on the complete range of India-UK ties,” India’s PMO said in a tweet.