However, Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, who represented the 17 banks, told the court that Mallya’s plea should not be entertained as he failed to appear before the court despite repeated orders, reported Mint.
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The Supreme Court last month agreed to hear a contempt plea filed by State Bank of India-led consortium against Mallya in the Rs 9,000 crore loan default case.
A bench comprising justices Kurian Joseph and Rohinton F. Nariman said that it would consider the issue, including aspects of Mallya’s appearance in court and the contempt notice, on 27 September.
Mallya had submitted details about his earnings and holdings in a sealed cover to the Supreme Court, after it had told him in April to make a full disclosure of his income and domestic and overseas assets. He also said that the apex court’s earlier order to disclose the assets has been complied with. It gave the consortium ten days to respond to Mallya’s plea, and gave the United Breweries Chairman a week to file his rejoinder.
On July 14, Mr Rohatgi claimed that Mr Mallya had provided wrong details of his assets in a sealed cover to the apex court.
He further said a lot of information had also been concealed, including a cash transaction to the tune of Rs 2500 crore, which amounted to contempt of court. The consortium of 13 banks headed by the SBI approached the Top Court seeking immediate recovery of more than an amount of Rs 9,000 crore (the principal and interest amount included) loaned to Mallya’s defunct Kingfisher Airlines. Banks have argued that Mallya has not been candid with the court regarding his assets, citing the failure to disclose the severance package he received from Diageo Plc as part of his exit from United Spirits Ltd.
Mr Mallya had said the banks had no right over information regarding his overseas movable and immovable assets as he was an NRI since 1988.
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