i-flex: Govt in touch with Dutch, UK officials

The government is in continuous contact with Dutch and British governments to ensure that the Interpol order seeking extradition of i-flex CEO Senthil Kumar to the Netherlands was withdrawn, the Lok Sabha was informed on Wednesday.

Based on an extradition order from the Dutch authorities, Kumar was arrested in London by the British police on March 26, Minister of State for External Affairs Vinod Khanna said in reply to a question, adding he was released on bail by a London court on April 2.

While no formal communication to the company from the Dutch authorities on charges against i-flex has been received, suspicion of illegal employment and avoiding mandatory taxation has been mentioned as reasons for detention in a press release issued by the Dutch embassy here, he said.

The matter was strongly taken up with the Dutch and UK authorities by the government which has rejected these arguments, he said, adding New Delhi saw this case 'as an example of economic protectionism.'