SC issues notice to Vijay Mallya for personal appearance

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notice to liquor baron and high-flying businessman Vijay Mallya returnable within two weeks after hearing a plea filed by a consortium of 17 lenders, led by the State Bank of India, seeking his personal appearance before it.
A division bench, comprising Justices Kurian Joseph and Rohinton Fali Nariman, issued notice to Mallya returnable within two weeks to respond as it directed the next hearing of the matter on March 30.
Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi told the division bench that Mallya had left the country on March 2 soon after they moved four applications on March 2 before Bengaluru-based Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT) to restrain Diageo from paying him $75 million.
After hearing this, the division bench said, “What do you want us to do.”
The AG told the Apex Court that the secured assets which Mr Mallya has pledged are not even 1/15th of more than Rs 9,000 crore which he had taken for his now defunct Kingfisher Airlines.
The consortium of 17 banks, led by the SBI, had sought an order restraining Mallya from leaving the country and impounding of his passport. Banks have challenged the March 4 order of the Karnataka High Court not accepting their plea. (PTI)