Vijay Mallya is at his country home near London

Vijay Mallya had indicated last month that he wanted to move to the UK to be closer to his children and later denied he had plans to abscond.

Liquor baron Vijay Mallya, who is facing legal proceedings for allegedly defaulting on loans of over Rs 9,000 crore (Rs 90 billion)  from several banks, is believed to be at his country home in an English village about an hour's drive north of London.

The UB Group chairman and Rajya Sabha member is thought to have driven to his 'Ladywalk' estate in the village of Tiwen near St Albans in Hertfordshire from his London home near Baker Street area earlier this week.

Mallya, 60, is facing legal proceedings back in India for allegedly defaulting on loans worth over Rs 9,000 crore from various banks.

A Supreme Court notice for him to return to India is expected to be served to him via the Indian High Commission in London sometime this week, sources said.

The Indian mission has so far issued no statement on the timeline of the notice.

Mallya had indicated last month that he wanted to move to the UK to be closer to his children and later denied he had plans to abscond.

"My statement as to my personal future after quitting Diageo/USL - that I want to spend more time in England closer to my children - has been grossly distorted and mis-portrayed.

I wish to reduce my business commitments gradually and devote more time to my family, and that my resignation from United Spirits was a step in this direction," he had said in a recent statement.

Mallya, who owns plush properties in California and the UK, has one of the biggest country homes on Queen Hoo Lane in the village of Tewin.

He likes to drop in at the local pubs during his visits there but has not been spotted around the village so far this week, choosing to stay inside his 30-acre estate guarded by customary iron gates that mark most sprawling country estates in English villages.