After Britain turned down India's request to deport Vijay Mallya, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) approached Interpol seeking an arrest warrant against the estranged liquor baron to make him join investigations in connection with a money-laundering case.

Officials said ED has written to CBI to obtain a Red Corder Notice (RCN) against Mallya. CBI acts as the nodal office for execution of Interpol warrants in India.

An RCN is issued to seek the location and arrest of wanted persons with a view to extradite or initiate similar lawful action in a criminal case probe. Once the said notice is issued, the Interpol seeks to arrest the person concerned, in any part of the world and notifies that country to take his or her custody for further action from their end.

The agency has been wanting to make Mallya join investigations in the Rs 900-crore IDBI loan deal, in which it had registered a criminal case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) earlier this year.

It has virtually exhausted most of the legal options to make Mallya join the probe, including issuance of a non-bailable warrant against him from a Mumbai court, based on which it made the requests for the revocation of his passport and subsequent deportation bid to bring back the businessman from UK.

However, Britain made it clear that Mallya could not be deported and asked India to seek his extradition instead.

The British government said it acknowledges the seriousness of allegations against Mallya and was keen to assist the Indian government in this case.

ED is also mulling attaching domestic assets and shares worth around Rs 9,000 crore owned by Mallya in this case. Revenue officials in Goa have allowed the lenders of Kingfisher Airlines to take physical possession of Kingfisher Villa in Candolim.

The North Goa Collector has given an order in favour of banks to take physical possession of the Villa valued at Rs 90 crore and which used to be Mallya's base in Goa. It was also the venue of many of the famous parties hosted by him during the 'good times'.

Advocate Parag Rao, who appeared on behalf of United Spirits, had said that the company had withdrawn its claim before the collector.





Also read:

ED plans to freeze Vijay Mallya's shares in listed companies

UK declines India's request to deport Vijay Mallya, next step extradition, says ED

