NEW DELHI: Pushing its case for extradition of liquor baron Vijay Mallya in a Westminster court in London, India has invoked the UK Fraud Act, 2006, which deals with a person giving false representation or failing to disclose information, as Mallya had done in taking loans from public sector banks by hiding information from them, government officials said.Arguments put forward by Mallya's defence in the London court have been effectively rebutted by barrister Mark Summers of Crown Prosecution Service, representing India. During cross-examination, the CPS lawyer also nailed defence witness Barry Humphreys, who admitted that he had based his statement in Mallya's favour largely on press reports and he had no personal knowledge to support what he was saying.Government officials said India's proceedings in the London court were going strong and there was "prima facie very strong case of fraud against Mallya according to the UK Fraud Act, 2006". "In his opening statement, CPS lawyer Mark Summers has laid before the court the basic ingredients of fraud i.e. falsities, false projections and intention not to repay the loan and use the same for purposes other than those intended for," an official said. "This was amply clear during cross-examination of Humphreys, who admitted that he had not seen evidence to provide opinion on several core issues and in some instances based his expert opinion on press reports, a fact admitted by him during cross-examination by Summers."

Source: Times of India December 06, 2017 21:33 UTC