UK PM Starmer's India Visit: Will Fugitives Vijay Mallya & Nirav Modi Ever Return?

This special report focuses on the extradition of fugitives Vijay Mallya and Nirav Modi from the United Kingdom, a key issue during UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer's visit to India for talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The UK's legal system, while not intentionally protecting fugitives, prioritises human rights and due process, which allows extradition to be contested at multiple levels. In a case highlighting these delays, the report notes, 'a UK court had approved extradition [for Vijay Mallya] way back in 2019...and yet his extradition has been mysteriously stuck due to what's referred to as "confidential legal matters".' The analysis explores how both Mallya and Modi have used the UK's Extradition Act of 2003, citing concerns over prison conditions and mental health, to prolong their legal battles, despite India's persistent efforts and the existence of a 1992 extradition treaty.