Court declares Vijay Mallya ‘proclaimed offender’ on ED plea

MUMBAI: The special court for the Prevention of Money Laundering Act ( PMLA) on Tuesday declared businessman Vijay Mallya as a proclaimed offender, on a plea of

MUMBAI: The special court for the Prevention of Money Laundering Act ( PMLA) on Tuesday declared businessman Vijay Mallya as a proclaimed offender, on a plea of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) seeking a proclamation against him in a money laundering case, as he continued to remain away from the investigation.

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Allowing the plea of ED, special judge PR Bhavake ordered the issuing of a proclamation, asking Mallya to appear before the courtourt within 30 days. The proclamation notice will be published in a week at placess known to him, the court ordered.

In case Mallya fails to appear before the court in 30 days, the agency will ini-initiate the procedure for attachment of properties connected to him to recover the losses. ED’s counsel Hiten Venegaokar said that with this order, as soon as the court issues the notice, Mallya will be listed as a proclaimed offender. “In case he wants to challenge the said status, he has to appear before the court and seek such relief. He will have to show that he is ready to face the prosecution,” Venegaokar said.

While seeking to declare Mallya as proclaimed offender, Venegaokar said ED officers had attempted to execute the warrant issued by the court, but Mallya was not found at his known addresses. “EvenE t he chief financial officer of the company has told the agency that he has left the country and moved to United Kingdom,” Venegaokar informed the court.