Court reserves order on plea to declare Mallya proclaimed offender

On April 18, the special court for Prevention of Money Laundering Act issued a non-bailable warrant against vijay Mallya to secure his presence in India

The special court for Prevention of Money Laundering Act adjourned for a day the order on a plea of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) seeking proclamation against businessman Vijay Mallya facing probe in a money-laundering case.

The court on Monday sought to know the steps taken by the ED, after it had issued a warrant against him.

On April 18, the court issued a non-bailable warrant against Mallya to secure his presence in India.

The central agency initiated an investigation against Mallya for alleged money-laundering of a Rs900-crore loan taken from IDBI bank for Kingfisher airlines. The ED had on Saturday attached Mallya’s Rs1,411-crore property.

Last week, the agency had moved an application to declare Mallya, who fled the country on March 2, a proclaimed offender. The application was scheduled for order on Friday, however, it may be passed on Monday.

On Friday, when the case came up for hearing, the advocate for the agency, Neeti Pondi, pleaded to the court to pass an order on the plea so that the process of a red-corner notice against Mallya can me initiated.

“Please pass an order on the application for proclamation against Mallya so that the agency can approach the ministry of external affairs for a red-corner notice against him,” Pondi had told the court.

Mallya had left India on March 2 using his diplomatic passport and is in the UK.

A red-corner notice is issued to seek the location and arrest of wanted persons with a view to extradition or similar lawful action in a criminal case probe.

Once it is issued, the Interpol seeks to arrest the person in any part of the world and notifies that country to take his or her custody for further action.