SC notice to Vijay Mallya on SBI plea asking why his passport should not be impounded

The Supreme Court on Wednesday gave notice to liquor baron Vijay Mallya on SBI and other public sector banks' plea seeking restraining him from leaving India.

Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notice to liquor baron Vijay Mallya on SBI and other public sector banks' plea seeking restraining him from leaving India.

SC has sought disclosure of his assets, seizure of passport and asked him to reply within two weeks on pleas filed by consortium of banks. The next hearing is on March 30. The court asked Mallya as to why his passport should not be impounded.

However, the Attorney General, citing CBI inputs, told the court that Mallya left India on March 2. "Mallya has defaulted more than Rs 9000 crore of loan, though he has properties across the globe whose value is far more than their due," the AG told SC.

The apex court has sent notice to Mallya through his advocate. SC also allowed notice be served to Mallya through his official Rajya Sabha email ID through Indian High Commission at London and his counsel and Co.

The SC, however questioned as to why loans were given to Mallya when he was defaulter and was facing proceedings in court of law.

These banks had advanced loans of over 9,000 crore rupees to his firm.The consortium of banks, in their appeal, have assailed the March 4 order of the Karnataka High Court refusing an ex-parte ad interim order against Mallya, England-based Diageo Plc and United Spirits Limited.

The banks said that the High Court should have passed an interim order, securing their financial interests.Prior to moving the High Court, the banks had filed four pleas in the Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT) at Bengaluru seeking reliefs like freezing of Mallya`s passport and arrest warrant against him.

They had also sought a direction to Mallya that he should disclose his assets on oath. The DRT, on March 2, heard arguments only on one plea and did not consider other three pleas which were related to freezing of the passport and restraining Mallya from leaving country.

With Agency Inputs