A Delhi court on Wednesday initiated the process to declare fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya a proclaimed offender in a FERA (Foreign Exchange Regulation Act) violation case of 1995.
Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Deepak Shehrawat directed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to take appropriate steps to initiate the process after Special Public Prosecutor for the ED, N. K. Matta, informed him that the open-ended non-bailable warrant (NBW) issued earlier against Mr. Mallya had been returned un-executed and the agency had no other option but to initiate the process under Section 82 and 83 of the Cr.PC.
The court had in December 2000 exempted Mr. Mallya from personal appearance in the case. However, it had modified the order in July last year on an application by the ED and asked him to appear before it in person. His passport was revoked in April last year. Mr. Mallya has been staying in London as a Permanent Resident for nearly three decades and is facing extradition proceedings there.