The Supreme Court on Monday rejected the plea of fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya, seeking review of the 2017 verdict holding him guilty for contempt of court. According to the order, the court had held him guilty of contempt for transferring USD 40 million to his children and violating the court's order.
The Bench of Justices UU Lalit and Ashok Bhushan had reserved its verdict in the review petition on August 27.
The court took up the review petition filed by Mallya for hearing on August 27. Following a brief hearing, the court had reserved its decision. The matter had to be adjourned previously since a crucial reply filed by Mallya could not be located in the case records with the Court.
Earlier on May 9, 2017, the Supreme Court had directed the liquor baron to appear before it on July 10, after finding him guilty of contempt of court in a bank loan default case. Soon after this order, Mallya had filed a review petition in the Supreme Court.
When the matter was heard earlier, the banks had alleged that Mallya concealed facts and diverted the money to his son Siddharth Mallya and daughters Leanna and Tanya Mallya in “flagrant violation” of the orders passed by the Karnataka High Court.
On June 19, the Court sought an explanation from its own Registry as to why the review petition filed by Mallya was not listed for the last three years.
The Bench of Justices Lalit and Bhushan had noted in the last hearing that the review was filed within the period of limitation, but was still not listed for three years.
It thus called for an explanation from the Supreme Court Registry as to why the case was not listed during this time. It has also asked for the names of the officers involved in the process.
Mallya is an accused in a bank loan default case of over Rs 9,000 crore involving his defunct Kingfisher Airlines and is presently in the United Kingdom.
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