SC refuses to entertain Kingfisher's plea against 'wilful defaulter' tag

Airline says it will challenge the order in High Court

The Supreme Court today refused to entertain a petition filed by Kingfisher Airlines against being declared a wilful defaulter, saying it has become infructuous as the Grievance Redressal Committee of Union Bank of India has already passed an order.

"Your grievance has been that Grievance Redressal Committee (GRC) should not decide the matter but they have already decided it, therefore your plea is infructuous" a bench comprising justices A R Dave and U U Lalit said.

Kingfisher Airlines had alleged that the order by GRC was passed yesterday, ignoring the plea that the director should be allowed to be represented through lawyers.

However, after the bench said that the plea has become infructuous, the airline counsel submitted that they would challenge the GRC order before the concerned High Court.

State-run United Bank of India yesterday became the first lender to declare debt-ridden Kingfisher Airlines and its promoter Vijay Mallya as wilful defaulters.