Cheque bounce case: Court issues non-bailable warrant against Vijay Mallya

On Saturday, lawyers representing Mallya told the court that since his passport has been revoked, he was unable to come to India.

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Liquor baron Vijay Mallya

A NON-BAILABLE warrant has been issued against chairman of now defunct Kingfisher Airlines, Vijay Mallya by the Andheri metropolitan court on Saturday in a case of cheque bouncing filed by the Airports Authority of India. During the last hearing in May, the court had directed Mallya to make an appearance failing which a warrant would be issued.

On Saturday, lawyers representing Mallya told the court that since his passport has been revoked, he was unable to come to India. The court, however, declined to grant further time, and issued the warrant. The hearing has been adjourned till September 30.

The case pertains to two cheques issued by Kingfisher Airlines in 2012 of Rs 50 crore and Rs 57 crore to the AAI. The AAI approached court after both the cheques issued to them bounced.

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Mallya had been earlier granted permanent exemption from appearing before court which was challenged by AAI recently. A non-bailable warrant is already issued against Mallya by the special Prevention of Money Laundering Act court in Mumbai last month.

Meanwhile, in another case of cheque bounce filed by Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), a Delhi court on Saturday fixed August 6 for hearing
against Mallya.

The court, which had summoned Mallya as accused on Saturday, fixed the matter for the next date after it was told by the counsel appearing for the businessman that its summoning order had been challenged before the High Court.

The trial court had summoned Mallya as accused following a complaint by DIAL, which operates the capital’s IGI Airport, claiming that a cheque for Rs one crore issued by Kingfisher Airlines (KFA) on February 22, 2012 was returned to them a month later containing remarks “fund insufficient”. DIAL has filed four cases in June 2012 against Mallya over KFA’s cheques totalling Rs 7.5 crore not being honoured.

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The grounded airline had issued the cheques towards payment for services availed by them at the IGI airport here.