We cannot wait longer now: SC to hear Vijay Mallya’s contempt case in January for final disposal

New Delhi, Nov 30: The Supreme Court on Tuesday said that it cannot wait further and will take up a case concerning punishment to be awarded to Vijay Mallya for contempt of court in January 2022 for final disposal.

"The legal process also has to see the light of the day at some point. We have waited sufficiently long enough, we can't be waiting any longer now," Justice UU Lalit said.

"Vijay Mallya is at liberty to advance submissions; if he is not present, counsel on his behalf can argue," the apex court said.

The Centre informed the court that the extradition of Mallya to India from the UK has attained finality. But certain "secret proceedings" are pending in the UK, details of which are not known.

Mallya was held guilty of contempt of court for transferring $40 million to his children, in violation of a court order.

Mallya, an accused in bank loan default case of over Rs 9,000 crore involving his defunct Kingfisher Airlines, is in the UK since March 2016. He is on bail on an extradition warrant executed three years ago by Scotland Yard on April 18, 2017.

On November 2, last year, the top court had asked the Centre to file status report in six weeks on the confidential legal proceedings pending in the UK on extradition of Mallya to India.

The Centre had in October last year said it is not aware of the secret on-going proceedings against Mallya in the UK as the Government of India is not party to the process.

The Centre had given details of the extradition proceedings against Mallya starting from February 9, 2017 till dismissal of his appeal against extradition in UK on May 14 last year and said that the fugitive businessman has thus exhausted all avenues of appeal in the United Kingdom.