London, December 10: A team of officials led by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Joint Director A Sai Manohar on Sunday, left for the United Kingdom for Westminster court proceedings today in London on India’s request seeking extradition of embattled liquor baron Vijay Mallya. Manohar will take the place of Rakesh Asthana who was earlier leading the case before being embroiled in the CBI vs CBI controversy. Vijay Mallya Extradition Case: Joint CBI, ED Team Leave For UK Court Proceedings Ahead of Judgment on Monday.

The fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya, faces charges of money laundering and fraud amounting an estimated Rs 9,000 crores, is scheduled to attend the Westminster Magistrates’ Court proceeding on Monday, where his extradition trial is listed for a judgement. Supreme Court Issues Notice to ED on Confiscating Vijay Mallya’s Assets, Refuses to Stay Proceedings.

The former liquor baron is in the United Kingdom since March 2016 after a money laundering case was registered against him in India. Indian agencies are seeking to extradite him. He has contested his extradition on the grounds that the case against him is “politically motivated” and the loans he has been accused of defrauding on were sought to keep his now-defunct airline afloat. London Court Allows Sale of Six Posh Cars Owned by Vijay Mallya to Repay Indian Banks.

“I have offered to repay 100 per cent of the principal amount to them. Please take it,” Mallya tweeted earlier.“I did not borrow a single rupee. The borrower was Kingfisher Airlines. Money was lost due to a genuine and sad business failure. Being held as guarantor is not fraud,” he said in his recent Twitter post on the issue.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 10, 2018 08:53 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).