Vijay Mallya Extradition: "Legal Issues Delaying Vijay Mallya Extradition": Centre To Supreme Court

Mallya, 65, has been in the UK since March 2016 and is fighting extradition to India (File)

Legal complications - details of which cannot be shared due to its "confidential" nature - are delaying business tycoon Vijay Mallya's extradition from the United Kingdom, the UK has told India, according to an External Affairs Ministry letter shared with the Supreme Court on Monday.

"We are trying our best to (get) Vijay Mallya extradited but, (because of) legal complexities in the UK, status is the same," the government told the court when asked for an update on the extradition of the business tycoon, who is wanted for defaulting on Rs 9,000 crore in loans.

"The Ministry of External Affairs has been informed by the UK government 'there is a further legal issue that needs resolving before Mallya can be extradited. Under United Kingdom law, extradition cannot take place until it is resolved'," the ministry's letter said.

The letter quoted the UK government as saying: "As it (the "legal issue") is judicial in nature, the issue is confidential and you will understand that Her Majesty's Government cannot provide any more details. We also cannot estimate how long this issue will take to resolve."