A recent report has unveiled that Indian officials have formally urged French authorities to grant approval for the extradition of liquor tycoon Vijay Mallya 'without preconditions'.

The request was presented during a meeting held earlier this month, wherein the 16th session of the India-France Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism convened on April 15, addressing the topic of Mallya's extradition.

The Indian delegation requested an update on the status of India's extradition proposal to France during the discussion. "The French presented a proposal with certain preconditions, but India urged them to endorse the proposal without any preconditions," a source informed The Indian Express.

According to sources, India has actively pursued the extradition of Vijay Mallya, particularly with countries where he possesses assets and where extradition treaties are established. This strategy is designed to streamline extradition proceedings in the event Mallya visits any of these nations, including France.

The 16th Meeting of the India-France Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism occurred in New Delhi last week. Leading the Indian delegation was KD Dewal, Joint Secretary (CT) at the Ministry of External Affairs of India, while the French delegation was led by HE Ambassador Olivier Caron, Special Envoy for Counter-Terrorism and Organised Crime.

Vijay Mallya, often referred to as the 'King of Good Times,' faces accusations in a bank loan default case surpassing Rs 9,000 crore, linked to his now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines. Residing in the United Kingdom since March 2016, he has been declared a fugitive by the Indian government, leading to the auctioning of many of his assets in India.

Image source: WION News