London/New Delhi, Dec 10 (UNI) The fugitive business tycoon Vijay Mallya on Monday said he was not shocked by the court verdict that ruled his extradition from the United Kingdom to India and said
his legal team will decide on the future course of actions.
Back home in India, BJP chief Amit Shah and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley hailed the court orders.
"Vijay Mallya's extradition is a very significant development in India's fight against corruption," tweeted Mr Shah even as number of BJP leaders sought to claim that after Christian Michel's 'extradition' from Dubai, the developments in London court has given a boost to Modi government in its crusade against corruption.
"The credit for this (court order in London) goes entirely to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who ensured that the agencies were unrelenting in their pursuit of the man who had bled Indian banks and fled," BJP president wrote.
Mr Shah also wrote: "Prime Minister Narendra Modi's hard stand against corruption and cronyism also puts a premium on the honest and law abiding citizens of this country, who work hard to ensure better life for their families. Welcome to the New India".
For his part, Mr Mallya told reporters in London shortly after the court verdict that his legal team will examine the court ruling and then take any decision.
"I am not going to answer any speculative question. My lawyers are going to decide on the next steps," Mr Mallya said. He said the legal matters are lengthy process.
"To any question on payment for employees, they are my first priority. Last two years we made two separate applications to court to use the money to be deposited in the court, the court did not give any decision. So to say that I never wanted to pay to the employees is blatantly wrong," said Mr Mallya.
Mr Mallya will have the option of moving higher courts. Mallya left India in March 2016 after a consortium of banks started legal proceedings to recover the loans. He has been living near London since.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley welcomed the court orders saying it is a 'Great Day for India'.
"No one who cheats India will go scot free. The Judgement of UK’s Court is welcome.
An offender benefited during the UPA. The NDA brings him to book,' Mr Jaitley tweeted.
"The judgement should also give a lot of room to Congress party and its President Rahul Gandhi
to seriously introspect. He should introspect for every falsehood that he has spoken on
this topic," Mr Jaitley told reporters.
Mr Mallya faces a raft of charges relating to financial irregularities at Kingfisher Airlines. His monetary affairs are being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate.
Mallya, who built his fortune from Kingfisher beer, before branching out into Indian cricket and Formula 1 racing, set up Kingfisher Airlines in 2005.
The airline, which was grounded in 2012, lost its flying permit the next year. It made annual losses for five years in a row and finally collapsed after lenders refused to give it fresh loans.
UNI DEVN SHK1959