New Delhi/London, May 15 (TIWN) Indian fugitive and former liquor baron Vijay Mallya on Thursday lost his appeal in the UK Supreme Court against his extradition to India, clearing a major roadblock for the Narendra Modi government to bring him back in the next 28 days.

Mallya has defrauded at least 17 Indian banks, drawing loans which he allegedly routed to gain full or partial stake in about 40 companies abroad.   As per sources in London, now that Mallya's legal options in the UK have exhausted, he may still attempt to pull strings in the office of UK Home Secretary Priti Patel, who gets to have the final say on his extradition to India.   After losing an appeal in the London High Court against an extradition order to India, Mallya had filed an appeal in the UK Supreme Court earlier this month.