Another woe for Mallya, Hyderabad court issues non-bailable warrant

India’s liquor baron Vijay Mallya, who has fled the country after being a defaulter of several state-run banks, has been slammed with a non-bailable warrant (NBW) by the Hyderabad court. The warrant was issued after Mallya failed to appear in the court in connection with alleged dishonour of a cheque of Rs 50 lakh to GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd.

Mallya’s counsel has said that he will move the high court seeking quashing of the non-bailable warrant (NBW).

"He (Mallya) and others were supposed to appear before the court on March 10. They did not appear ... Hence, court issued NBW order which has to be executed by April 13," said GMR counsel G Ashok Reddy. He added that there are a total of 11 cases involving Rs 8 crore payment to GMR and the NBWs were issued in connection with a Rs 50 lakh bounced cheque.

Mallya’s advocate H Sudhakar Rao said, "NBWs have been issued in this case. There are other cases going on wherein we have got orders from high court dispensing with his (Mallya's) attendence."

"I will be filing an application in the high court for quashing this order of issuing warrants," Rao told PTI.

When contacted by ET, GMR refused to comment on the issue claiming the matter to be sub judice.

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