The Supreme Court on Tuesday was hearing the contempt matter involving ‘fugitive’ businessman Vijay Mallya who is prime accused in bank loan default case of over Rs 9,000 crore involving his defunct Kingfisher Airlines. The court has said it will be dealt finally on January 18 next year.
The apex court as reported in newspapers made strong observations that they have waited “sufficiently long” and further said, “We can’t be waiting any longer now”.
The bench noted that Mallya was held guilty of contempt in 2017. The Centre had asked for adjournment as the extradition process is stalled in the UK due to ongoing confidential proceedings. However, the court said it was not concerned about the diplomatic proceedings and will hear the issue of sentencing. The top court said the ongoing extradition process will not come in the way of contempt of court proceedings in the Bank loan fraud case.
Earlier, the Supreme Court had rejected a plea filed by fugitive businessman Vijay Malla seeking review of its 2017 order holding him guilty in a contempt of court case for transferring $40 million to his children. Interestingly, Mallya said he had no control over that money now as he had already disbursed it among his three adult children, who are US citizens.
The bench is headed by Justice U U Lalit , also comprising Justices S R Bhat and Bela M Trivedi, said Mallya is at liberty to advance submissions, as are deemed appropriate, and if for any reason, he is not present before the court, lawyer on his behalf can advance submissions.
“What we wish to do is, we will list this matter for disposal in second week of January because we have waited sufficiently long enough, we can’t be waiting any longer now. It has to see the light of the day at some stage or the other and the process must also get over,” the bench said.
The top court requested senior Jaideep Gupta to assist it as an amicus curiae in the matter.
The apex court had earlier dismissed Mallya’s plea seeking review of its 2017 verdict which held him guilty of contempt for transferring USD 40 million to his children in violations of the court orders.
On January 18 this year, the Centre told the top court that the government is making all efforts to extradite Mallya from the United Kingdom but the process is being delayed due to some legal issues involved in the matter.
Mallya, an accused in bank loan default case of over Rs 9,000 crore involving his defunct Kingfisher Airlines, is in the UK since March 2016. He is on bail on an extradition warrant executed three years ago by Scotland Yard on April 18, 2017.
Scotland Yard is a police force north of the border, but it is actually another name for the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police force, in London. Now officially known as New Scotland Yard, the building sits in Westminster, where the headquarters have been located since 2016.
