SC awards 4-month jail sentence to Vijay Mallya in contempt of court case

The Supreme Court on Monday (July 11) sentenced businessman Vijay Mallya to four-month imprisonment in contempt of court case.

The apex court also fined Mallya ₹2,000.

Mallya is accused in bank loan default case of over ₹9,000 crore involving his defunct Kingfisher Airlines. He fled the country and is currently in the United Kingdom.

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Mallya’s counsel had on March 10 told the bench 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.

Earlier, a consortium of lending banks led by 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.

Also read: What’s delaying Vijay Mallya’s extradition? Legal issues, says Centre

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 top court had in 2020 dismissed Mallya’s plea seeking review of the 2017 verdict which held him guilty of contempt for transferring USD 40 million to his children in violation of court orders.

The apex court had 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.

Mallya has been in the UK since March 2016. He is on bail on an extradition warrant executed by the Scotland Yard on April 18, 2017.

(With inputs from agencies)