Vijay Mallya Faces Court Warning Over Social Media Posts Amid Ongoing Money Laundering Case

Court Issues Warning to Vijay Mallya

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court has cautioned UK-based businessman Vijay Mallya, labeled a 'Fugitive Economic Offender', against sharing court documents on social media while the Enforcement Directorate (ED) continues its investigation into money laundering, as reported by a legal representative on Tuesday.

Advocate Ashish Mehta stated that the court's warning came after the ED raised concerns about Mallya posting the agency's affidavit on the social media platform X prior to the court reviewing its contents.

The High Court has scheduled the next hearing for October 13 and instructed the State Bank of India (SBI) to submit a new affidavit that reflects the information provided by the ED.

Previously, Mallya informed the High Court in February that he could not specify a timeline for his return to India, citing court-imposed restrictions in England that he claimed hindered his departure.

The court is currently reviewing two petitions submitted by Mallya.

One petition disputes his classification as a 'Fugitive Economic Offender' under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act (FEOA), while the other challenges a court ruling that officially labeled him a fugitive.

Senior advocate Amit Desai, representing Mallya, referenced Supreme Court rulings that allowed writ petitions to be heard even without the petitioners present.

He noted that extradition proceedings against Mallya are in progress in the UK, and while he is aware of them, he cannot leave England due to existing court orders.

However, the High Court expressed skepticism regarding Mallya's willingness to appear in court, suggesting he seems to be depending on UK court orders without clarifying if those orders have been contested.

The Bench indicated that such reliance cannot serve as an absolute justification.

The court has instructed Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to respond to Mallya's affidavit and has requested Desai to provide a comprehensive affidavit documenting all statements made during the hearing for the Union of India to address.