Delhi Court Issues Non-Bailable Warrant Against Vijay Mallya
A fresh non-bailable warrant was issued against Vijay Mallya by a trial court in Delhi on Friday for evading summons for a Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA) case. The court observed that he had no inclination to return and had scant regard for the law of the land.
It said coercive process has to be initiated against the liquor baron as he was facing proceedings in several cases and evading appearance in those matters. The court also issued another non-bailable warrant against Mallya in a 2012 cheque bounce case+ lodged by GMR-led Delhi International Airport (DIAL), which operates the capital’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA).
Chief metropolitan magistrate Sumit Dass observed that Mallya was misguiding the court and stalling proceedings. He has shown complete disregard to Indian laws, saying he cannot travel to India as his passport was revoked. But temporary documents for travelling can be made available, the court said.
The ED lawyer, NK Matta, also said that Mallya can be given travel documents under the provisions of law. During the hearing senior advocate Ramesh Gupta and advocate Ajay Bhargava, appearing for Mallya, said he does not wish to file any reply to Enforcement Directorate’s response on his plea and the matter should be fixed for final arguments. The court also said that on October 4 it had specifically noted that he could approach authorities and obtain emergency document to return to India but the situation is that he has not taken any such step.
Mallya’s Kingfisher Airlines owes more than Rs 9,000 crore to as many as 17 banks, including the SBI, IDBI Bank, PNB, Corporation Bank, Indian Overseas Bank , Punjab and Sind Bank, Axis Bank. The airlines also owes Rs 7.5 crore to the Indira Gandhi International Airport for services availed by it. He is also involved in a cheque bounce case after three cheques by Kingfisher were not honoured.
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