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Homeward bound?: on extradition of Vijay Mallya
Kingfisher Airlines crisis
By fleeing India, Vijay Mallya has only helped establish the charges against him
The judicial order in the United Kingdom allowing the extradition(प्रत्यर्पण) of businessman Vijay Mallya marks a rare(असाधारण)victory for India in getting back a fugitive(भगोड़ा/पलायक) from the law from another jurisdiction. Coming shortly after the United Arab Emirates handed over Christian Michel, the alleged(कथित ) middleman in the AgustaWestland helicopter deal, progress in the Mallya extradition case is another victory for the Central Bureau of Investigation(जाँच पड़ताल,), which is in the throes(दम तोड़ना ) of a raging(प्रकोप/उग्रता) controversy(विवाद/तकरार) over a power tussle(खींचतान,संघर्ष) involving its two top officers. It must be a matter of satisfaction to the Government of India that the controversy did not affect the outcome of the extradition proceedings(कार्यवाही) before the Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London. Mr. Mallya’s lawyers raised doubts about the CBI’s independence, its alleged susceptibility(संवेदनशीलता/भावुकता) to political interference(दखल अंदाजी,), theperception(अनुभूति/समझना) that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the Opposition(विरोध/विपक्ष) Congress were using his case to score political points, the possible pressure on Indian courts due to adverse(विपरीत/प्रतिकूल) media coverage and, lastly, the conditions in Indian prisons as overcrowded(बहुत भीड़/ अति घना) and with appalling facilities for its inmates(कैदियों). Chief Magistrate Emma Arbuthnot rejected these issues. On preliminary evidence, in an order that analyses documents and the sequence of events relating to borrowings(उधारी) made by Kingfisher Airlines from IDBI Bank, she concluded that there is a prima facie case against Mr. Mallya as well as some bank officials. The industrialist does have an opportunity(अवसर/सुविधा)to go on appeal before higher courts. But the categorical finding that there appears to be an intention(इरादा/आशय) todefraud(धोखा/छलना), and that the end-use of the borrowed money did not match the stated purpose for which the loans were taken, may make it a little harder(कठिन) for him to obtain(हासिल करना/ प्राप्त करना) relief.
It is clear that fleeing India in March 2016 while a consortium (संघ) of lenders to the defunct(निर्जीव/अप्रचलित) airline was seeking to recover about ₹9,000 crore from the company has not helped Mr. Mallya’s cause, beyond buying him time. He has failed to portray himself as a victim (शिकार/विपत्ति-ग्रस्त)of the political system and the media back home. And the verdict, by which his case has been sent to the U.K. Home Secretary for a formal decision on his extradition, reinforces(शक्ति बढ़ाना/पुष्ट)the widely held perception that his company’s financial predicament is due less to the problems that beset the aviation sector at the relevant time and possible poor management, than to his profligate(भ्रष्टाचरण/ऐयाश) ways and flamboyant(चमकदार/उज्ज्वल ) lifestyle. In particular, the extradition court accepted evidence that showed that “the offence(दोष/अपमान) may have begun with the obtaining of the loans, but continued with the disbursement of the loan proceedings and his subsequent avoidance of his liabilities”. With the court also having spoken of a prima facie case of money-laundering(काले धन को वैध)being established(प्रमाणित,/स्थापित) , Mr. Mallya’s attempt to play victim has failed. It is only appropriate that he be brought back to India at the earliest and made to submit himself to the legal process.
Important Vocabulary
1. Fugitive(भगोड़ा/पलायक)
Synonyms: elusive, wanted, brief, criminal, ephemeral
Antonyms: enduring, lasting, lengthy, long, permanent
2. Extradition(प्रत्यर्पण)
Synonyms: deportation, expulsion, banishment, expatriation, ostracism
3. Controversy(विवाद/तकरार)
Synonyms: argument, bickering, difference, discussion, fuss
Antonyms: agreement, concurrence, peace, compliment, harmony
4. Throes(दम तोड़ना
Synonyms: agony, ache, anguish, disorder, pang
Antonyms: comfort, health, order
5. Raging(प्रकोप/उग्रता)
Synonyms: enraged, furious, seething, stormy, turbulent
Antonyms: calm, mild, moderate, delighted, giddy
6. Tussle(खींचतान,संघर्ष)
Synonyms: brawl, fray, free-for-all, scuffle, skirmish
Antonyms: agreement, harmony, peace, accord, calm
7. Interference(दखल अंदाजी,),
Synonyms: conflict, intervention, intrusion, obstruction, tampering
Antonyms: encouragement, aid, assistance, help
8. Adverse(विपरीत/प्रतिकूल)
Synonyms: conflicting, detrimental, disadvantageous, inimical, injurious
Antonyms: advantageous, assisting, beneficial, friendly, good
9. Opportunity(अवसर/सुविधा)
Synonyms: convenience, event, excuse, freedom, hope
Antonyms: closing, closure, misfortune, reality, truth
10. Intention(इरादा/आशय)
Synonyms: aim, hope, motive, objective, plan
Antonyms: discouragement
11. Obtain(हासिल करना/ प्राप्त करना
Synonyms: access, achieve, attain, collect, earn
Antonyms: disperse, distribute, divide, fail, forfeit
12. Victim (शिकार/विपत्ति-ग्रस्त
Synonyms: casualty, fatality, martyr, sufferer, butt
Antonyms: criminal, culprit
13. Profligate(भ्रष्टाचरण/ऐयाश)
Synonyms: promiscuous, degenerate, libertine, reprobate, wanton
Antonyms: gentle, moral, careful, good, nice
14. Flamboyant(चमकदार/उज्ज्वल )
Synonyms: bombastic, brilliant, colorful, dazzling, flashy
Antonyms: dull, plain, simple, calm, moderate
15. Reinforces(शक्ति बढ़ाना/पुष्ट)
Synonyms: add to, bolster, boost, build up, buttress
Antonyms: decrease, diminish, discourage, hinder, hurt
16. Defunct(निर्जीव/अप्रचलित)
Synonyms: nonexistent, obsolete, vanished, asleep, bygone
Antonyms: alive, existent, existing, functioning, live
