The British government has forwarded India’s extradition request in Vijay Mallya to the UK court following which an arrest warrant will be issued.

“The UK Home Office, London vide their Note Verbale dated 21 February 2017 has conveyed that the request has been certified by the Secretary of State and sent to Westminster Magistrates’ Court for a District Judge to consider issuing an arrest warrant,” said Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Gopal Baglay said here on Thursday.

India had forward the request based on the Extradition Treaty between India and UK on February 8 so that he can face the trials here in a massive Rs. 9,000 crore embezzlement case.

The Indian government handed over a list of 60 most-wanted Indian fugitives, including Mallya, who are now residing in UK during the visit of British of Prime Minister Theresa May to India in November last year.

Mallya left for Britain in March last year after he was being questioned by the courts to recover debts owed by him which were given as loans to his Kingfisher Airlines. Mallya has also been booked by the Enforcement Directorate under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

In May last year UK had told India that it cannot deport him back to India. UK had also said that under their 1971 Immigration Act it is not mandatory for an individual to hold a passport to be able to reside there as long as the passport was valid when the person entered their country.

However, in November both countries agreed to enhance cooperation under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty during the visit of British Prime Minister. As a result, a strategic dialogue between India’s Home Secretary and Permanent Secretary for Home Office of the UK is expected to begin this year that will discuss a mechanism to deal with criminals and fugitives apart from discussing counter-terror cooperation.

In January, the CBI had issued a non-bailable warrant against Mallya in a loan default case.

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