Mallya's arrest should be credited to consistent efforts: Govt.

Jaipur/Patna (Rajasthan/Bihar) [India], Apr 18 (ANI): Crediting the government for Vijay Mallya's arrest in London, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Tuesday said India had put up a strong case the liquor baron in the United Kingdom, adding that all legal procedures were followed properly. "The Indian Government, in order to get Vijay Mallya back to India, had followed all the legal procedures properly. His passport was cancelled. He was declared an absconder. India had put up a strong case against Vijay Mallya in England. We have requested his return under the extradition treaty signed between Britain and India. The process is underway. The government is very alert regarding this matter," Prasad said. Asserting that the Centre is committed towards bringing any defaulter to justice, the BJP also maintained the same, saying Mallya's arrest in London shows Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government's consistent efforts to bring the beleaguered liquor baron to India. BJP leader Nalin Kohli claimed that the government will do, whatever is in its power, to ensure that anyone who defrauds public money and leaves the shores of this country to escape the judicial process is brought back to justice. "It's definitely a significant development because it re-affirms the consistent effort of the Government of India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi...This obviously, from the very first day of the formation of the SIT for black money to the current process that is taking place for Vijay Mallya's extradition, everything has been done consistently," Kohli told the media. Kohli also claimed that the investigative agencies shared cogent material with their counterparts in the UK which made Mallya's arrest possible. "The investigative agencies have a free hand. They have shared cogent material with their counterparts under the due process that exists between U.K. and India. This is what has made his arrest possible today and the process has begun. Whatever needs to be done thereafter will be done. The message is very clear- it does not matter whosoever the person is, the Government of India and the agencies have a free hand to take action against anybody who defrauds the public of its wealth or is involved in creating any kind of black money," he said. However, earlier today, Mallya, while downplaying the din surrounding his sensational arrest in London, took a swipe at the Indian media. "Usual Indian media hype. Extradition hearing in Court started today as expected," he tweeted. Earlier today following Mallya's arrest, the Scotland Yard issued a statement saying that the absconding businessman was arrested on behalf of the Indian authorities in relation to accusations of fraud. "Officers from the Metropolitan Police's Extradition Unit have this morning, Tuesday 18 April arrested a man on an extraction warrant. He was arrested after attending a central London police station, and will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court later today, 18 April," read the official statement of the Scotland Yard. His arrest came after a Delhi court had issued an open-ended non-bailable warrant against Mallya in connection with the 1995 FERA violation case. Last month, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) informed that Mallya's extradition has been stratified by the Secretary of State of the U.K. Government and added that a warrant would soon be released against him. (ANI)