The Bombay High Court on Tuesday asked fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya when he intends to return to India and told his counsel it would not hear his plea against the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act unless he first submits himself to the HC jurisdiction.
Mallya, based in the UK since 2016, has filed two petitions in the HC -- one challenging an order declaring him as a fugitive economic offender and the other questioning the constitutional validity of the 2018 Act.
The HC posed the question to the 70-year-old liquor baron, wanted in India to face trial on fraud and money laundering charges, on his return home while hearing his twin pleas.
A bench of Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam Ankhad made it clear to the embattled businessman’s counsel Amit Desai that it would not hear Mallya’s plea against the Act unless he first submits himself to the court’s jurisdiction.
The bench insisted it cannot allow both petitions filed by Mallya to run together and asked the promoter of the now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines to clarify which plea he wants to press and which one to withdraw.
The high court posted the matter for further hearing on February 12 by when Mallya will have to inform the court about which petition he wants to proceed with.
A new video has surfaced showing former Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Lalit Modi partying with fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya in London. In the video, Lalit Modi can be heard sarcastically introducing himself and Mallya as the “biggest fugitives of India,” a remark widely seen as mocking the country.
Lalit Modi shared the video on his Instagram account with the caption: “Let’s break the internet down in India again. Happy birthday my friend #VijayMallya. Love u”, highlighting his unabashed display of camaraderie with the fugitive businessman.
This is not the first time the two fugitives have shared videos of themselves partying together; in fact, it has now become a recurring trend.
Earlier this month, Lalit Modi had also hosted a lavish birthday celebration in London for fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya, drawing widespread attention after Modi shared details of the event on social media platform X.
Lalit Modi described the gathering at his residence as an “amazing celebration,” attended by friends and family who had reportedly flown in from around the world. Referring to Mallya as the “King of Goodtimes,” he called the occasion a “cornerstone achieved” as the former liquor baron turned 70, wishing him happiness and success.
Mallya was declared a Fugitive Economic Offender in January 2019 by a special court hearing cases under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The businessman, accused of defaulting on multiple loan repayments and facing money laundering charges, left India in March 2016.
Lalit Modi left India in 2010 in a haze of allegations related to tax evasion, money-laundering and proxy ownership linked to the money-minting IPL. The Enforcement Directorate has claimed that Lalit Modi manipulated the process of assigning broadcast rights of the IPL in 2009, reportedly in exchange for a kickback of over 125 crores.
