Mumbai: Fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya told the Bombay High Court that he is not in a position to say when he will return to India. He said court orders passed in England prevent him from leaving the United Kingdom.
Mallya informed the court that legal proceedings are still going on in the UK and the restrictions imposed there do not allow him to travel abroad.
High Court’s Clear Stand
Earlier, the Bombay High Court had said it would not hear Mallya’s petition unless he comes back to India.
A bench led by Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam Ankhad clearly told him that he must first say whether he is willing to return.
The court said, 'You have to come back. If you cannot come back, then we cannot hear this plea.'
The judges added that they are giving him one more chance to clarify his stand. The matter has been posted for further hearing on February 18.
Petitions Challenging FEO Act
Mallya, who has been living in the UK since 2016, has filed two petitions. One challenges the order that declared him a fugitive economic offender. The other questions the constitutional validity of the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018.
The 70-year-old businessman is facing several cases in India related to fraud and money laundering.
The court said it may have to record that he is avoiding the legal process if he does not clearly state his position. However, it added that it is not dismissing his plea and is giving him a fair opportunity.
The bench directed Mallya to file an affidavit clearly stating whether he will return to India. The Chief Justice said he must first clarify this before asking for a hearing without being physically present in court.
