Vijay Mallya’s extradition trial: Defence brings in banking expert

TIL Desk/Business/New Delhi/ Vijay Mallya’s defence on Thursday brought in a banking expert at his extradition trial as a witness to analyse the documents used by the liquor baron to seek loans from Indian banks for his then struggling Kingfisher Airlines and emphasise that he had no intention to act “fraudulently”.

Paul Rex was deposed on day three of the ongoing trial at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London to determine whether the 61-year-old businessman can be forced to return to India to face charges of fraud and money laundering allegedly amounting to around Rs 9,000 crores.

Mallya’s defence counsel, Clare Montgomery, today sought to back up her opening arguments that the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) on behalf of the Indian government had failed to establish a prima facie case of fraud against her client.

The testimony by Rex, who was described as a banker by profession who has served as an independent expert in the field for over 20 years, was used to highlight that Mallya had no intention to act “fraudulently”.