Bangalore/Mumbai, March 7: The Bangalore bench of the debt recovery tribunal (DRT) today issued an order that restrained UK-based Diageo Plc from making any severance payment to Vijay Mallya for now, dealing a blow to the liquor baron's retirement plans.

DRT's presiding officer C.R. Benakanahalli today issued the interim order on an application filed by the State Bank of India (SBI) seeking first right to Mallya's severance payment for stepping down as the chairman of United Spirits Ltd (USL), which he had sold to the UK-based company in 2012.

According to the order, Diageo cannot pay Mallya until the disposal of the application filed by the SBI.

The tribunal posted the next hearing on March 28.

It also directed Mallya, USL and Diageo to disclose the terminal agreement under which he was granted $75 million (Rs 515 crore) as severance payment.

Under the Diageo deal announced last month, Mallya was to receive $40 million immediately with the remaining amount to be paid to him in instalments over five years.

The SBI, which heads the consortium of 17 lenders to the long-grounded Kingfisher Airlines, had approached the tribunal after Mallya announced his retirement plans by accepting the severance pay from Diageo, which now has a majority control of USL. Last month, Mallya had stepped down from USL chairmanship and announced plans to spend time with his family in London.

The SBI had filed three other applications that sought Mallya's arrest, complete disclosure of his overseas assets and the impounding of his passport.

However, today's interim order covered only the one seeking the lender's first right to the severance pay.

In a separate development, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) today registered a case against Mallya and others under the prevention of money laundering act (PMLA) in connection with the alleged default of over Rs 900 crore loan from IDBI Bank.

The agency recently filed charges under the PMLA based on an FIR registered last year by the CBI. The ED is probing whether the money has been diverted overseas.

The CBI had named Mallya, A. Raghunathan, chief financial officer of Kingfisher Airlines, and unknown officials of IDBI Bank in its FIR alleging that the loan was sanctioned at a time the airline had a poor rating.

It is understood that charges have been pressed under Section 3 and 4 of the PMLA. This however, could not be confirmed.

Sources said Mallya might soon be questioned by the ED . There is speculation that the agency may also seize his passport.