Vijay Mallya cheque bounce cases: Court adjourns order till August 4

A Hyderabad court on Tuesday adjourned till August 4 its order on quantum of punishment in the two bounced-cheque cases filed against beleaguered businessman Vijay Mallya by GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd.

Third Special Court Magistrate M Krishna Rao had on April 20 convicted Mallya and others in connection with the bouncing of two cheques of Rs 50 lakhs each under the Negotiable Instruments Act.

The order has been adjourned for the fourth time as Mallya was not present in court. Mallya left India in March and is reported to be living in the UK since then, and has failed to show up for questioning by the Enforcement Directorate, either. 

The matter relates to cheques issued by Kingfisher Airlines Ltd to GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd (GHIAL), which operates Rajiv Gandhi International Airport here, towards charges for using the facilities at the airport for its flights.

The court had earlier issued non-bailable warrants against the airline, its chairman Mallya, and A Raghunathan, a senior official of the company on grounds of dishonouring the two cheques.

As the NBWs are still pending, the court directed GMR to furnish addresses of the company (Kingfisher) and Vijay Mallya for execution of the warrants.

The court had said on May 5 that before imposing the quantum of punishment, it would hear the plea of the convicts and then pass its order with regard to sentencing them or imposing fine or both.

According to the GMR counsel, a total of 17 cases have been filed against Kingfisher Airlines in different courts over outstanding amount of Rs 22.5 crore, which it owes to GMR. The cases are in different stages of trial.