ED says Vijay Mallya is un-cooperative, seeks revocation of his diplomatic passport

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has sought revocation of debt-ridden Vijay Mallya’s diplomatic passport over non-cooperation in a money laundering probe.

The ED had asked Mallya to appear before the law enforcement agency by April 9 in Rs 900 crore IDBI bank loan fraud case.

It has written to the Ministry of External Affairs to take action under the Passport Act, 1967 and ask the Regional Passport Office (RPO) here to revoke the diplomatic passport of the beleaguered businessman as he has turned out to be "un-cooperative" with its investigators probing a criminal case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) at its zonal office in Mumbai.

Apparently, Mallya left India on March 2 on a diplomatic passport issued to him by virtue of him being a sitting Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament.

Under the Passport Act, when a person is issued a diplomatic passport, their regular international travel document gets deposited and when a revocation is sought for the former is sought, the latter too gets cancelled.

They said once the ED request is okayed, the MEA will inform UK authorities about the same and seek for his deportation to India.

Mallya had thrice failed to appear before the ED IO in Mumbai in connection with the Rs 900 crore IDBI loan fraud case which the central probe agency is investigating under PMLA.

Once Mallya's Passport is revoked, ED still is left with the option to approach a competent court and get issued a non-bailable warrant against him and also ask the Interpol to issue a Red Corner Notice (RCN) against him and apprehend him anywhere across the globe.

Mallya, who is facing legal proceedings for alleged default of loans worth over Rs 9,000 crore from various banks, was also directed by the Supreme Court to disclose all assets owned by him and his family in India and abroad by April 21.

(Image: Indiatimes)