[Vijay Mallya contempt case] We cannot wait anymore now: Supreme Court to hear matter in January

The contempt case before the Supreme Court against liquor baron Vijay Mallya in relation to the bank loan default case of over ₹9,000 crore involving the now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines will be listed for final hearing on January 18, 2022..The Bench of Justices UU Lalit, Ravindra Bhat and Bela Trivedi observed,"We will list this matter for disposal in January. We cannot wait anymore now. Proceedings for extradition have attained finality and respondent 3 (Vijay Mallya) has exhausted all avenues of appeal in United Kingdom.".The Court also appointed Senior Advocate Jaideep Gupta as amicus curiae in the case against Mallya in which he was held to be guilty of contempt of court for or wilfully disobeying court orders in a petition filed by the Consortium of Creditors (CoC) led by the State Bank of India (SBI). Mallya was alleged to have transferred funds into the accounts of other persons in violation of the Court's orders, in addition to making "vague and unclear" disclosures about his assets..When the matter was taken up today, counsel for the Central government sought more time as Solicitor General Tushar Mehta was indisposed. The Court then observed,"Since advocate continues to appear, there lies no embargo on hearing the advocate on sentence. We will hear that part."The Bench then decided to list the matter on January 18, on which date counsel for Mallya will be allowed to make submissions pertaining to the issues set out in its 2017 order finding the businessman guilty of contempt..In August last year, the apex court had dismissed the review petition filed by Mallya in the contempt case against him related to the bank loan default case filed against him by a consortium of banks.Mallya was also directed to be present before the Court for the hearing on his sentencing, but had failed to abide by the same, considering he had already left India by then..In a previous hearing, the Union Ministry of External Affairs told the Supreme Court that the extradition of Mallya has not been given effect due to some "secret proceedings" initiated against him in the United Kingdom..Vijay Mallya contempt case: MEA tells Supreme Court that extradition is stalled due to "secret" proceedings against liquor baron in UK

[Vijay Mallya contempt case] We cannot wait anymore now: Supreme Court to hear matter in January

Debayan Roy

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