Cheque bounce case: Warrant against Mallya

MUMBAI: In fresh trouble for embattled liquor baron Vijay Mallya, the metropolitan magistrate court in Andheri issued a non-bailable warrant against him on Saturday

MUMBAI: In fresh trouble for embattled liquor baron Vijay Mallya, the metropolitan magistrate court in Andheri issued a non-bailable warrant against him on Saturday in a cheque bounce case, where the Airport Authority of India (AAI) is the complainant.

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The court had, in a hearing on May 7, given Mallya “last chance” to appear before it as the AAI had sought a warrant to secure his presence. The advocate for AAI, Anil Kathuria, had pleaded that Mallya’s presence was required.
“In a criminal case, presence of the accused has to be ascertained to award punishment, if found guilty,” Kathuria said.

On Saturday, when the case came up for hearing, Mallya’s lawyer said he could not be present as his passport was revoked. The lawyer pleaded that Mallya’s presence was not necessary and the case hearings can go on without him being present.

However, discarding the arguments of Mallya’s lawyer, the court ordered a non-bailable warrant against him to secure his presence before the court.

The court was hearing applications filed by the AAI against M/s Kingfisher Airlines, which is now defunct, in connection with three cheques of total Rs107 crore, which were dishonoured.