Centre says cannot extradite Vijay Mallya before January, SC adjourns contempt case in his absence
A court in UK has fixed December 4 for the final hearing of the fugitive liquor baron’s extradition case.
The Centre on Friday told the Supreme Court that it will not be able to extradite former liquor baron Vijay Mallya from United Kingdom before January 2018, reported the Hindustan Times. The Supreme Court had earlier in the day adjourned proceedings against Mallya, saying that it will proceed only when the businessman is brought to court, according to The Indian Express.
The Supreme Court said it cannot sentence Mallya in a contempt of court case in his absence. The court had on May 9 held Mallya guilty of contempt on the basis of a plea by a consortium of banks that said Mallya had transferred $40 million (approximately Rs 266 crore) to his children in violation of the court’s order.
The Enforcement Directorate had said that Mallya used 13 shell companies to launder around Rs 1,300 crore. The charges were made in their 57-page chargesheet filed in June. It was filed under several sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
On July 6, a court in the UK declined Mallya’s request to change the final hearing date in his extradition case to 2018. Instead, it set the final hearing date for December.
