• Source:ANI
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A high-level team of officers from the Central Bureau of Investigation, Enforcement Directorate and National Investigation Agency would be heading to the United Kingdom soon to expedite the extradition of India's most wanted fugitives, including Sanjay Bhandari, diamond trader Nirav Modi and Kingfisher Airlines promoter Vijay Mallya, news agency ANI reported citing sources.

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It is also reported that the delegation headed to London would engage in bilateral negotiations over the longstanding exchange of information pending with the UK authorities under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT). The UK and India are obligated to legally share information on criminal investigations involving economic offenders and others since both countries participated in MLAT. Currently, the NIA team is looking into several terror suspects connected to the Khalistani movement.

In this case, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is actively involved in diplomatic engagements with the UK, even though the Union Home Ministry is the designated authority for MLAT affairs. 

The joint team is expected to depart at any time this month. In addition to expediting the process of extradition of the fugitives, the team has learnt to seek outstanding information about assets obtained by them in London, including specifics about their banking transactions.

The extradition cases of Bhandari, Nirav, and Mallya are awaiting resolution in the UK, as they have appealed in higher courts against deportation to India. The ED has already seized their assets in India, and significant funds have been recovered by selling the assets of Mallya and Modi, amounting to thousands of crores, which were then returned to banks to settle their outstanding dues.

Bhandari, an arms dealer, fled in 2016 following investigations by income tax and ED into various defence deals during the UPA regime. Nirav faces allegations in a fraud case related to Punjab National Bank funds, whereas Mallya's assets, valued at over Rs 5,000 crore, have been attached and seized due to bank defrauding activities. 

(With ANI Inputs)