India
oi-Ashish Rana
India
has
reiterated
its
determination
to
bring
back
economic
offenders
wanted
by
Indian
law,
days
after
a
video
featuring
Lalit
Modi
and
Vijay
Mallya
triggered
criticism
and
renewed
debate
over
extradition
delays.
Modi
and
Vijay
Mallya
India
is
committed
to
bringing
back
economic
offenders,
like
Lalit
Modi
and
Vijay
Mallya,
who
are
wanted
by
Indian
law,
with
ongoing
talks
involving
various
governments
due
to
complex
legal
procedures.
Both
Modi
and
Mallya,
declared
fugitive
economic
offenders
in
2019,
reside
in
the
UK
and
face
allegations
of
financial
irregularities
and
fraud,
respectively.
The
video,
briefly
shared
on
Instagram
before
being
deleted,
showed
the
two
men
together,
with
Lalit
Modi
referring
to
himself
and
Mallya
as
the
“two
biggest
fugitives
of
India”,
a
remark
that
was
widely
seen
as
a
taunt
aimed
at
Indian
authorities.
Video
Sparks
Political
and
Public
Reaction
In
the
now-removed
clip,
Lalit
Modi
was
heard
making
the
remark
while
standing
alongside
Mallya.
The
accompanying
caption
added
to
the
provocation,
suggesting
the
post
was
meant
to
“break
the
internet” and
inviting
viewers
to
watch
“with
envy”.
The
post
drew
sharp
reactions
online,
with
critics
questioning
why
two
high-profile
economic
offenders
continue
to
live
openly
abroad
despite
long-running
extradition
efforts.
Both
men
are
based
in
the
United
Kingdom
and
frequently
post
images
and
videos
on
social
media
showing
a
lavish
lifestyle,
which
has
fuelled
public
frustration
in
India.
MEA
Says
Talks
Ongoing
With
Foreign
Governments
Responding
to
questions
on
the
matter,
Ministry
of
External
Affairs
spokesperson
Randhir
Jaiswal
said
India
remains
firm
on
its
position.
“We
remain
fully
committed
that
people
who
are
fugitives,
who
are
wanted
by
law
in
India,
they
return
to
the
country.
For
this
particular
return,
we
are
in
talks
with
several
governments
and
processes
are
on,” Jaiswal
said.
He
added
that
such
cases
involve
complex
legal
procedures
across
jurisdictions.
“In
several
of
these
cases,
there
are
several
layers
of
legalities
involved.
But
we
remain
committed
to
bringing
them
back
to
the
country
so
that
they
can
face
trial
before
the
courts
here,”
he
said.
Background
on
Lalit
Modi
and
Vijay
Mallya
Lalit
Modi,
62,
left
India
in
2010
after
facing
allegations
of
tax
evasion,
money
laundering
and
financial
irregularities
linked
to
the
Indian
Premier
League,
which
he
helped
establish.
He
was
declared
a
fugitive
economic
offender
in
2019.
Vijay
Mallya,
69,
the
former
chairman
of
United
Breweries
and
promoter
of
the
now-defunct
Kingfisher
Airlines,
fled
India
in
2016
amid
allegations
of
fraud
and
loan
defaults.
Indian
banks
claim
he
owes
around
Rs
9,000
crore.
He
too
was
declared
a
fugitive
economic
offender
in
2019.
While
extradition
proceedings
continue
in
courts
abroad,
the
recent
video
has
once
again
placed
the
spotlight
on
India’s
prolonged
legal
battle
to
bring
back
some
of
its
most
high-profile
financial
offenders.
