A joint team of the ED and CBI is in London to seek extradition of liquor baron Vijay Mallya, sources said on Tuesday.

The five-member team, comprising three officials from Central Bureau of Investigation and two of the Enforcement Directorate, left for London on Monday. 

The sources said the team would push for the extradition of Mallya, who fled to Britain in March 2016 after being pursued for recovery of Rs 8,191 crore he owed to Indian banks by his now defunct Kingfisher Airlines.

The government has said that its agencies were making their best efforts to have Mallya face trial in India.

The Indian government had in February this year, handed over to British authorities a formal request for Mallya's extradition, saying it had a legitimate case against him on charges of financial irregularities and loan default.

Mallya was arrested in London by the Scotland Yard on April 18, weeks after India asked the UK to extradite him under the bilateral treaty. However, three hours after he was arrested, Mallya got bail from the Westminster Magistrate Court, which is reportedly an established practise in UK.

The next hearing of the case will be on May 17.

Mallya left India on March 2, 2016 for London, days after a consortium of 17 banks led by the State Bank of India moved the Debt Recovery Tribunal to hear a July 2013 petition to recover dues of Rs 9,081 crore, including interest, that was loaned to his now defunct Kingfisher Airlines.

(With IANS inputs)