Vijay Mallya calls himself a political victim like Vadra and Virbhadra

Vijay Mallya

Former liquor baron Vijay Mallya defended himself before a UK court against India's request for extradition by drawing parallels between and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra and Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, reported Times of India. 

With over 15 days remaining for his extradition hearing, Mallya said that he was a political victim like the other two by showing newspaper reports which quoted Congress members who alleged that the Centre was targeting Vadra and Singh as part of political vendetta.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) replied to Mallya's statement as an attempt to divert attention on the basis of unsubstantiated media reports.

"Please come to court and witness the hearing yourself...all the allegations against me are baseless and fabricated...," Mallya said outside a UK court in London where his trial dates were confirmed.

A formal extradition request has been made by the Indian government to the United Kingdom under the Extradition Treaty between India and the UK through a note verbale on February 8.

Mallya has been wanted by various investigative agencies for nearly Rs 9,000 crore loan default and other financial irregularities.

The ED suspects Mallya used the money to procure properties in India and abroad. Mallya on Monday said he has repeatedly stressed that he has done nothing wrong and will let the evidence speak in court.

Mallya fled to Britain in March last year, after defaulting on loan payments to state-owned banks — Rs 900 crore loan from IDBI Bank, and a Rs 9,400 crore loan given by an SBI-led 17-bank consortium — and allegedly misused the funds by rerouting them to tax havens. He had repeatedly refused to appear before courts and investigators in India.

Top English barrister Clare Montgomery, who specialises in fraud and extradition cases, represented Mallya before the court for the first time since June, when hearings in his case began.

Defence witness for Mallya includes Professor Lau, as an expert on the Indian legal system, Margaret Sweeney, Chief Accountant at Force India Formula One team, and a Mr Rex and prison condition expert Dr Alan Mitchell.