Fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya was on Monday sentenced to four-month in prison in a contempt case by the Supreme Court. A bench headed by Justice UU Lalit also imposed a fine of Rs 2,000 on Mallya who is wanted in India in a bank loan default case of over Rs 9,000 crore involving his defunct Kingfisher Airlines.
"Considering the facts and circumstances on record and the fact that the contemnor never showed any remorse nor tendered any apology for his conduct, we impose sentence of four months and fine in the sum of Rs 2,000," the bench said while pronouncing the order.
The top court had on March 10 reserved its order in the matter, observing that proceedings against Mallya have hit a "dead wall".
The top court had in 2020 dismissed Mallya's plea seeking a review of the 2017 verdict which held him guilty of contempt for transferring USD 40 million to his children in violation of court orders.
Mallya has been living in the United Kingdom since March 2016. He is on bail on an extradition warrant executed by the Scotland Yard on April 18, 2017.
During the hearing earlier, Mallya's counsel had on March 10 told the apex court that he was handicapped in the absence of any instruction from his client, who is in the United Kingdom, and would not be able to argue on the quantum of sentence to be awarded in the contempt case.
Observing that it had waited "sufficiently long", the apex court on February 10 had fixed the contempt case against Mallya for hearing and had given him the last opportunity to appear before it either personally or through his lawyer.
The top court had said it has given multiple opportunities to Mallya to appear either personally or through a lawyer and had even given specific directions in its order dated November 30, 2021.
Earlier, a consortium of lending banks led by the State Bank of India had moved the apex court alleging that Mallya was not following the court orders on repayment of loan which was then over Rs 9,000 crore. It was alleged that he was not disclosing the assets and moreover, transferring them to his children in violation of the restraint orders.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, had earlier said that the court has inherent jurisdiction in contempt cases and that it has given enough opportunity to Mallya, which he has not taken.
On November 30 last year, the top court had said it cannot wait any longer and the sentencing aspect in the contempt matter against Mallya would be dealt with finally.
Mallya was held guilty of contempt in 2017, and the matter was thereafter to be listed to hear him on the proposed punishment to be awarded to him.
The apex court had earlier noted that as per an office memorandum, under the signature of the deputy secretary (extradition) of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the proceedings for extradition have attained finality and Mallya has "exhausted all avenues for appeal" in the UK.
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