Supreme Court adjourns hearing on Vijay Mallya’s plea seeking review of 2017 order holding him guilty of contempt

Vijay Mallya fled to the UK in 2016 to escape legal actions against him in a bank loan default case of over Rs 9000 crore involving his defunct Kingfisher Airlines.

The Supreme Court on Thursday adjourned hearing till August 20 on a review plea filed by fugitive liquor baron Vijay Mallya. Mallya had filed a review plea in the top court seeking review of its May 2017 order holding him guilty of contempt of court for transferring money to his three children in violation of the court’s order.

The apex court had in 2017 held Mallya guilty of contempt of court for transferring USD 40 million to his children in violation of a court’s order. The court had directed Mallya to appear before it to argue on the quantum of punishment in the matter. Mallya is presently in the United Kingdom.

The court’s order had come on a plea by a consortium of banks led by the State Bank of India. The plea had alleged that Mallya transferred USD 40 million received from British firm Diageo, to his children in flagrant violation of various judicial orders. The banks said Mallya concealed the facts and diverted the money to his son Siddharth and daughters Leanna and Tanya and thus violated the orders passed by the Karnataka High Court. The High Court had specifically ordered Mallya not to transfer or alienate any movable and immovable assets to any person.

Mallya is wanted in India in connection with a bank loan default case of over Rs 9000 crore involving his defunct Kingfisher Airlines.

Mallya, a former Rajya Sabha MP, fled to the UK in 2016 to escape legal actions against him. Mallya has since then repeatedly publicly offered to make good on his debts.

Last month, Mallya had again told the Supreme Court that he has offered a comprehensive settlement package to the banks and that if it is accepted, all the cases against him by the ED would be sorted out.