A week after it suspended his diplomatic passport based on Enforcement Directorate’s direction, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday said it is considering options for the deportation of liquor baron Vijay Mallya to India from London.
“They (ED) have requested us to consider initiating steps for the deportation of Vijay Mallya to India to ensure his presence before the lawful authorities to proceed with the investigation against him. We are currently consulting legal experts on the next steps on this particular matter,” said Vikas Swarup, Spokesperson, MEA, during a media briefing.
He said the MEA had received a request from the ED conveying that the Court of Sessions Greater Mumbai had issued a non-bailable warrant for Mallya.
However, Swarup also said Mallya had responded through his lawyers on the issue of revoking his diplomatic passport and the show-case notice sent to him.
The MEA had suspended Mallya’s passport on April 15 under Section 10[A] of the Passport Act. Simultaneously, it had also issued a show-cause notice to him seeking a response as to why his passport should not be revoked under Section 10 (3) of the Passport Act.
The ED had earlier stated that Mallya was not cooperating in the probe against him under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
On Thursday, Mallya had informed the Supreme Court that he wasn’t required to disclose details of his foreign assets to the banks because of his Non-Resident Indian (NRI) status.
He also told the apex court that his overseas assets were never considered by the banks while granting him loans for the now defunct Kingfisher Airlines.