HC turns down Mallya's plea

Delhi high court turned down on Monday the plea of liquor baron and Rajya Sabha member Vijay Mallya for quashing of criminal proceedings in a trial court for alleged 'wilful' disobedience of summons issued by the Enforcement Directorate over seven years ago.

Justice S Ravinder Bhat dismissed a petition filed by Mallya challenging the trial court order framing charges against him for refusing to accept the summons issued by ED.

In September 1999, ED had summoned Mallya four times to interrogate him in connection with a Foreign Exchange Regulation Act violation case.

According to ED, between the period September 15, 1999 and December 20, 1999

it had issued summonses to Mallya on four occasions.

However, making some excuse or other, he did not appear before ED on three occasions and refused to accept the fourth summons. ED had filed a complaint case before the court of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate accusing Mallya of disobeying their summonses.

Later in 2001, the court framed charges against Mallya for the offence committed by him under Fera.

The trial court had posted the matter for hearing on October six. Under this section, an offender can get a maximum sentence of three years.