Delhi court declares Vijay Mallya "proclaimed offender"

Delhi's Patiala House Court on Thursday declared liquor baron Vijay Mallya a "proclaimed offender" on the charge of evading Enforcement Directorate (ED) summons in a FERA violation case.

Last year, the Court had directed Vijay Mallya to appear before it by December 18th. The court had further said that if the liquor baron fails to show up on the said date, he will be declared as a proclaimed offender.

The ED had approached a Delhi court seeking to declare beleaguered businessman Vijay Mallya a proclaimed offender in a case of allegedly evading summons in a FERA violation matter. The court had on April 12, 2016, issued an open-ended non-bailable warrant against the liquor baron. An 'open-ended NBW' does not carry a time limit for execution unlike 'NBW'.

According to 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 the promotion of the Kingfisher brand abroad. When Mallya failed to appear before ED in response to the summons, a complaint was filed on March 8, 2000, before a court in Delhi and later charges were framed against him under FERA.