ED,CBI, NIA Team To Visit UK To Expedite The Extradition Of India's Three Most Wanted Fugitives (image: Chris Lawton/unsplash)

A high-level team involving the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Enforcement Directorate (ED), and National Investigation Agency (NIA) would be going to UK soon to expedite the extradition of India”s three most wanted fugitives, including defence dealer Sanjay Bhandari, diamond trader Nirav Modi and Kingfisher Airlines promoter Vijay Mallya, Time of India reports. As per the reports, the Indian government has already began the process to identify their properties in the abroad to seize the “proceeds of crime”.

The team is led by a senior officer from foreign ministry, sources told TOI. Besides, Indian High Commission in London will hold meetings with UK authorities in order to acquire the pending information to the assets obtained by these fugitives in London as well as details of their banking transactions.

Sanjay Bhandari had fled to the UK in 2016 following income tax and ED initiated investigation in multiple defence deals which agreed upon during the UPA regime. He is considered close to Robert Vadra, husband of Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi. According to probe agency, Sanjay Bhandari has obtained properties in London and Dubai and transferred them to shell companies controlled by an alleged aide of Robert Vadra.

Nirav Modi was wanted in alleged fraud involving funds of Punjab National Bank (PNB) worth over Rs 6,500 crore, whereas Vijay Mallya”s assets cost over Rs. 5,000 were attached and seized for defrauding banks. The agency has already attached Bhandari”s properties worth over Rs 26 crore in India have been attached, and he has been declared a fugitive economic offender, similar to Vijay Mallya and Nirav Modi, TOI added.

Sanjay Bhandari, Nirav Modi, and Vijay Mallya has appealed in higher courts in UK against their deportation to India. The federal agency has already attached the properties of Nirav Modi, and Vijay Mallya in India and has sold their assets against their outstandings to banks.

Both UK and India are signatories to the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT); therefore, two countries are legally bound to share information on criminal investigation to economic offenders and others.