Mallya’s plea dismissed by Supreme Court, fugitive offender declaration looms
Live MintThe Supreme Court Friday dismissed a plea by businessman Vijay Mallya challenging the proceedings in a Mumbai court to declare him a fugitive economic offender and confiscate his properties. The Supreme Court in December 2018 issued notice to the Enforcement Directorate on Mallya’s plea, had refused to stay the proceedings on the probe agency’s plea before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act court at Mumbai seeking the ‘fugitive’ tag for him under the Fugitive Economic Offenders’ Act, 2018. Mallya had moved the apex court in 2018 challenging the Bombay High Court order which dismissed his plea seeking a stay on the proceedings before a special PMLA court in Mumbai on the ED's plea to declare him a fugitive economic offender under the new law. "The application has been filed at the threshold and at a very premature stage when the lower court is still hearing the prosecuting agency's request to declare him a fugitive economic offender," the high court had said, making it clear that the special PMLA court would continue with the pending proceedings against Mallya on merits.