Indian sleuths and lawyer Mark Summers worked in tandem to get an extradition verdict on Vijay Mallya
WHY ARE YOU here so often?” Vijay Mallya would ask the two CBI officers whenever they crossed his path outside the Westminster Courts in London. “You bring us here,” one of them would retort.
This was 2017, and the CBI officers, special director Rakesh Asthana and investigating officer Suman Kumar, visited the UK at least 15 times since Mallya, who stands accused in a 9,000-crore bank fraud case, fled India in March 2016. The final hearing on the extradition plea on December 10 took the Indian team to London once again. This time, the team included CBI joint director A. Sai Manohar, Suman and Satyabrata Kumar, who heads the Mumbai zonal office of the Enforcement Directorate. The ED is probing the money laundering angle in the case.
Though the hearing began almost two hours late, it progressed fast, as Westminster Magistrate Court chief magistrate Emma Arbuthnot took just around half an hour to order Mallya’s extradition to India. The 471-point judgment admitted the CBI evidence and trashed claims of “political pressure”. It was yet another victory for the CBI team, which had extradited UK national Christian Michel, the alleged middleman in the 3,700-crore AgustaWestland helicopter deal, from the UAE a week before.
After the judgment, Mallya closeted himself with his legal team in the chambers for more than an hour. When he came out, the usually ebullient tycoon looked subdued. The handshakes had turned to mere salutes and distant waves, as his counsel in London, Clare Montgomery, had realised that he might be running out of time and options. The stylish and articulate Montgomery is a specialist in criminal, regulatory and fraud law.
Montgomery refused to comment on the verdict in a reply to an email request from THE WEEK. “I am afraid I am not permitted by my professional conduct rules to make any comment on this case, on or off the record,” she said.
Denne historien er fra December 23, 2018-utgaven av THE WEEK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra December 23, 2018-utgaven av THE WEEK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Themes Of Choice
As Savvy Investors Seek New Avenues, Thematic Mutual Funds Are Gaining Popularity
A golden girl
One of India's most formidable beauties passed away earlier this month. The odd thing is she would absolutely hate this obituary; she hated being written about and avoided publicity for all of her nine decades. Indira Aswani was 93 when she died. But anyone who encountered her, even briefly, was in such awe of her grace and poise, and one could not but remember her forever.
The interest in wine is growing delightfully in India
The renowned British wine writer and television presenter Jancis Robinson, 74, recently came to Delhi and Mumbai to reacquaint herself with India's wine industry. This was the Robinson's fourth visit to India; the last one was seven years ago. On this trip, Robinson and her husband, restaurateur Nicholas Lander, were hosted by the Taj Hotels and Sonal Holland, India's only Master of Wine.
United in the states
Indian-Americans coming together under the Democratic umbrella could get Harris over the line in key battlegrounds
COVER DRIVE
Usage-driven motor insurance policies offer several benefits
GDP as the only measure of progress is illogical
Dasho Karma Ura, one of the world's leading happiness experts, has guided Bhutan's unique gross national happiness (GNH) project. He uses empirical data to show that money cannot buy happiness in all circumstances, rather it is family and health that have the strongest positive effect on happiness. Excerpts from an interview:
India is not a controlling big brother
Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay considers India a benevolent elder sibling as the \"big brotherly attitude\" is happily missing from bilateral ties. He thinks the relationship shared by the two countries has become a model of friendship not just for the region, but for the entire world. \"India's attitude is definitely not of a big brother who is controlling and does not allow the little brother to blossom and grow,\" says Tobgay in an exclusive interview with THE WEEK.
Comrade with no foes
Lal Salaam, Comrade Yechury-you were quite a guy!
Pinning down saffron
In her first political bout, Vinesh Phogat rides on the anti-BJP sentiment across Haryana
MAKE IN MANIPUR
Home-made rockets and weapons from across the border are escalating the conflict