London, February 4: In a big win for Indian investigative agencies, the United Kingdom Home Secretary signed the extradition order for Vijay Mallya. Reacting to the UK Home secretory's approval, the liquor said that he could now initiate the appeal process. The order was signed on February 3. Mallya tweeted, "After the decision was handed down on December 10, 2018, by the Westminster Magistrates Court, I stated my intention to appeal. I could not initiate the appeal process before a decision by the Home Secretary. Now I will initiate the appeal process."

The Narendra Modi government welcomed the decision. On Friday, the liquor baron claimed his group’s properties worth over Rs 13,000 crore have been attached, which is more than the ‘claimed’ Rs 9,000 crore by the Indian banks. Last year in December Westminster Magistrates’ Court Chief Magistrate Emma Arbuthnot had ruled in favour of Mallya’s extradition.

Meanwhile, in January, a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court declared the liquor baron 'fugitive economic offender’. The court pronounced the verdict while hearing the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) plea. The court also refused the liquor baron’s application to stay the order to give him more time to appeal. Meanwhile, the hearing in the Special PMLA court on the confiscation of the properties of Mallya will be held on February 5. Bombay High Court Dismisses Vijay Mallya's Plea Seeking Stay on 'ED's Request to Declare Him Fugitive'.

In September last year, the ED filed a plea seeking that he be declared a fugitive under the new Fugitive Economic Offenders Act. Mallya collectively owes an amount of over Rs 9,000 crores to a total of 17 Indian banks. He left the nation in March 2016, after the consortium of banks moved the court seeking penal action against him. The Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill 2018 was passed by both the houses of the parliament during the monsoon session last year which empowers the government to attach and confiscate properties of economic offenders.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 04, 2019 11:41 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).