Vijay Mallya Live: Can’t Give Judgement in His Absence, Say SC
Vijay Mallya left India for London on 2 March 2016.
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- The Supreme Court said it cannot give a jail term to Mallya in his absence
- It told the Centre that it can only take up the case when it produce him in court
- The apex court was set to pronounce quantum of judgment in contempt of court case against Vijay Mallya today
- He failed to appear before the apex court on 10 July, 4 days after appearing before the Westminster Magistrates Court in London
- His next date of hearing is 14 September
- He was briefly arrested by the Metropolitan Police on 19 April and let off on conditional bail till 4 December
- Vijay Mallya left India for London on 2 March 2016, after being accused of defaulting on several bank loans amounting to nearly Rs 9,000 crore
Supreme Court Says Can't Decide Sentence in His Absence
The Supreme Court on Friday said it cannot give its judgment on the Vijay Mallya case in his absence and asked the Centre to bring him to court.
A bench led by Justice Adarsh K Goel could not hand out the quantum of punishment over the government's failure to “secure his presence”, News 18 reported.
“You have to produce him...we are not going to monitor your steps. We will take up this case only after you produce him,” the bench said.
AG Venugopal, appearing for Centre told the apex court that extradition proceedings are being conducted in UK Court and would most likely end by 4 December.
SC to Pronounce Quantum of Judgment Today
The Supreme Court is scheduled to pronounce the quantum of sentence against Vijay Mallya today in connection with the contempt of court against him.
The liquor baron and businessman Vijay Mallya was asked to personally appear in the court on 10 July, but he did not turn up.
The flamboyant businessman says he is ‘enjoying the fruits’ of his labour and is planning high-flying Force India’s next decade, according to Hindustan Times.
Mallya Fails to Appear Before Supreme Court on 10 July
Vijay Mallya failed to make a personal appearance before the Supreme Court on 10 July, despite being directed to be present.
A bench, comprising Justices AK Goel and UU Lalit, fixed the matter for hearing on 14 July and sought the assistance of the Solicitor General in the case.
On 9 May, the apex court held Mallya, who is presently in the United Kingdom, guilty of contempt of court for his failure to furnish details of all his Indian as well as offshore assets.
Read the full story here.
Vijay Mallya Appears Before Westminster Magistrates Court
Fugitive liquor baron Vijay Mallya, sought by India for defaulting on several bank loans amounting to nearly Rs 9,000 crore, appeared before the Westminster Magistrates Court in London on 6 July, for the hearing in his extradition case. His next date of hearing is 14 September, according to a report by ANI.
"I do as my lawyers advise," the 61-year-old former chief of erstwhile Kingfisher Airlines said when asked about his appearance despite being granted an exemption by Chief Magistrate Emma Louise Arbuthnot at last hearing on 13 June.
Mallya told reporters outside the court house before the start of his hearing:
The Metropolitan Police’s Extradition Unit arrested Mallya on 19 April on allegations of fraud after India made a formal extradition request for him. He was released a few hours later on conditional bail till 4 December.
Large Debt Owed to Indian Banks
An ongoing investigation led by the CBI and Enforcement Directorate into Kingfisher Airlines has revealed that out of the Rs 900 crore of his IDBI bank loan, Vijay Mallya allegedly routed Rs 400 crore overseas.
These were passed off as payments for aircraft-renting and other ‘operational’ expenses.
Timeline of the Vijay Mallya Case
- In 2016, a consortium of 17 banks 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 Mallya’s now defunct Kingfisher Airlines.
- Mallya left India on 2 March 2016 for London.
- He offered to negotiate with the banks for a one-time settlement of dues and sought the Supreme Court’s intervention.
- Banks had previously shot down Mallya’s offer of Rs 6,868 crore in April 2016 to settle the dues.
- A formal extradition request by the MEA in respect to Mallya was handed over to the British High Commission vide our note verbale dated 8 February 2017.
- The UK Home Office, London, vide their note verbale dated 21 February 2017 conveyed that the request has been certified by the Secretary of State and sent to Westminster Magistrates’ Court.
- Delhi Court issued a non-bailable warrant against the liquor baron on 12 April 2017.
- Setting in motion the process of extradition, the British government certified India’s request and sent it to a district judge for further action in March 2017.
- Mallya was arrested and given bail in London in April 2017.
- A special PMLA court on 6 July 2017 issued a non-bailable warrant against Vijay Mallya and other accused, in the alleged loan default case.
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