Supreme Court Gives Final Opportunity For Vijay Mallya To Defend Himself In Contempt Case; Next Hearing February 24

Picture : Twitter / ANI

The Supreme Court has granted the last opportunity of two weeks to fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya to personally or through counsel present his stand in the contempt case against him and if he fails to do so the court will take the matter to a logical conclusion.
A bench headed by Justice UU Lalit adjourned the matter for February 24 while adjourning the contempt case.

The top court accepted the contentions of amicus curiae and senior advocate Jaideep Gupta, who was assisting the court in the matter, that on the issue of sentence Mallya should be given the last opportunity to make his stand in the case.

“In his (Gupta) submission matter may be adjourned for short time with an expression that this would be final opportunity and in case he chooses to not remain personally present or advance submissions through counsel, court may proceed further with the matter. Going by submissions… we adjourn for 2 weeks. Respondent contemnor is at liberty to act in directions of November 30, 2021 order failing which matter shall be taken to logical conclusion and proceeded further,” the bench stated in its order.

During the hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta clarified that it is not the Government of India’s stand that something confidential is going on in the case in the United Kingdom but the Centre has been informed by the UK that there is something going on which can’t be shared.

Last year, the top court while saying that it has waited “long enough” and cannot “wait longer now” for Mr Mallya to get extradited from the United Kingdom to India, decided to go ahead with the hearing on quantum of punishment in the contempt case against him.

The top court had held Mallya guilty of contempt of court for transferring USD 40 million to his children in violation of the court’s order and sought his presence before it on various occasions.

Solicitor General Mehta appearing for the Ministry of External Affairs had furnished to the bench a statement of the Ministry.

After perusing the document of Deputy Secretary (Extradition) Ministry of External Affairs, the bench had said the proceedings for extradition of Mallya to India from the United Kingdom has attained finality but certain “confidential proceedings” are pending in the UK, details of which are not known.

The Centre also said that Mallya has already exhausted all his avenues of appeal in the UK.

The court had said it is up to Mallya to appear in person before it or advance arguments through his counsel. It had also appointed senior advocate Jaideep Gupta as an amicus curiae to assist it in the matter.