SC issues notice to ED on Mallya's plea, refuses to stay proceedings against him

The Supreme Court on Friday issued a notice to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on a plea filed by Vijay Mallya seeking a stay on the proceedings initiated by the ED to declare him a fugitive economic offender and confiscate his assets.

A bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul asked the ED to file a response on Mallya's plea seeking to ward off the "fugitive" tag against his name.

The bench, however, refused to stay the proceedings initiated by the ED.

The promoter of defunct Kingfisher Airlines today filed an appeal against the Bombay High Court's order of November 22 that rejected his plea.

A special court in Mumbai on October 30 refused to stay the proceedings against Mallya under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

Mallya is facing money-laundering charges in the United Kingdom after India initiated extradition proceedings against him. Both ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) have filed several cases for alleged loan default against him.

The liquor baron is residing in the UK for the past two years. His extradition case is reportedly in its final stage at London's Westminster Magistrates' Court.