'Adequate punishment is must', SC sentences Vijay Mallya to 4 months in jail for contempt of court
Darpan News Desk IANS, 11 Jul, 2022 02:10 PM
New Delhi, July 11 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Monday awarded four months' jail to fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya and imposed a fine of Rs 2,000 under contempt charge, and added that adequate punishment is must to uphold the majesty of the law.
In March, the top court had reserved the order on sentence to Mallya, who was found guilty of contempt in 2017 for disobeying court's order for not disclosing full particulars of assets in case between the SBI and Kingfisher Airlines.
A bench headed by Justice U.U. Lalit also ordered Mallya to deposit USD 40 million, which he had transferred to his family members in violation of the court orders.
The top court noted that Mallya did not show any remorse for his conduct and also did not appear before the court. The top court ordered Mallya to deposit USD 40 million with interest within four weeks, failing which attachment against his properties will be initiated.
On February 10, the top court gave final opportunity to Mallya, seeking his appearance, before it pronounced sentence in the contempt case filed by banks, in which he was found guilty.
The top court said it has found Mallya guilty of contempt and punishment has to be imposed. It added that going by normal logic the contemnor has to be heard, but he has not appeared before the court so far.
The bench clarified that if Mallya is not present in the hearing, then the matter will be taken to its logical conclusion.
According to a judgment delivered on July 14, 2017, Mallya was found guilty of contempt for not paying Rs 9,000 crore worth of dues to the banks despite repeated directions. Additionally, he was also accused of not disclosing his assets and also secretly trying to dispose of the assets to defeat the purpose of recovery proceedings.
On October 6 2020, the Ministry of Home Affairs told the Supreme Court that the UK Home Office has intimated that there is a further legal issue which needs to be resolved before Vijay Mallya's extradition takes place and this issue is outside and apart from the extradition process having effect under the UK law.
Over 7,400 Indian nationals are expected to be evacuated under the 'Operation Ganga' in the next two days, the government said on Thursday. The Centre has initiated an airlift operation to evacuate Indians, who have found their way to the neighbouring countries of war-torn Ukraine.
This advisory, prepared by the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, warns about aerial raids, missile attacks, artillery shelling, small arms and gunfire, grenade explosions and 'Molotov cocktails', including by local people/militia.
The flight IX-1202 with 183 passengers, including an infant, arrived at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport at around 5.40 a.m. The evacuees were received by Union Minister of State for Railways Raosaheb Danve-Patil with flowers and words of solace as they trooped out lugging their belongings.
"Indian students are being pushed out of trains, they are not allowed to board, if questioned they are being assaulted and guns are being pointed at them,". There are many incidents where Indians were asked to leave bunkers. Ukraninans are telling Indian students that India is not supporting them and why should they help them?
The two leaders reviewed the situation, especially in the city of Kharkiv where many Indian students are stuck, and discussed the safe evacuation of Indian nationals from the conflict areas, an MEA statement said.
Officials said the administration was in touch with the families of 32 students belonging to the Jammu division who are stranded in Ukraine. Officials said nine evacuation flights have so far brought back around 2,000 Indians stranded in Ukraine since February 26.
