There is no mandate that Vijay Mallya should come himself, says Attorney General

Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi on Monday said that the Supreme Court has not currently ordered Vijay Mallya to appear in person.

Speaking to CNN-IBN, Attorney General, however, said he must come back and submit his passport.

"As far as SC notice is concerned, the SC has not currently ordered him to appear in person. When the court issues notice in a civil matter, the usual presumption is that a party can appear in person or through a lawyer. It is upto Mallya whether he personally comes or doesn't come. But currently there is no mandate that he should come himself. Probably a laywer can appear," he said.

Meanwhile, a Hyderabad court has issued a non-bailable warrant against the beleaguered businessman after he failed to appear before it in a cheque dishonour case amid reports Sunday that quoted him as having said the time is not "right" for his return to India.

The court order in the case of alleged dishonour of a Rs 50 lakh cheque to GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd came even as Union Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya said a probe will be launched to check whether there were any anomalies in the Provident Fund(PF) contributions made by Mallya's Kingfisher Airlines for its employees when it was functioning.

GMR counsel G Ashok Reddy said "He (Mallya) and others were supposed to appear before the court on March 10. They did not appear...Hence, court issued NBW order which has to be executed by April 13."

There are a total of 11 cases involving Rs 8 crore payment to GMR and the NBWs were issued in connection with Rs 50 lakh bounced cheque, he said.