New Delhi sources have added that Delhi Court had declared beleaguered businessman Vijay Mallya a proclaimed offender for evading summons in a FERA violation case. Meanwhile the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Deepak Shehrawat passed the order after noting that Mallya failed to appear before it despite repeated summons.
The court said "In view that Vijay Mallya failed to
appear before this court within 30 days, and no representation was made on his
behalf, he is declared as proclaimed offender” and the court had on April 12
last year issued an open ended non-bailable warrant against the liquor baron.
According to Enforcement
Directorate (ED), Mallya was summoned on four occasions for questioning in
connection with a contract signed in December, 1995 with London based firm
Benetton Formula Ltd for promotion of the Kingfisher brand abroad and moreover
when Mallya failed to appear before ED in response to the summons, a complaint
was filed on March 8, 2000 before a court here and later charges were framed
against him under FERA.