Four non-bailable warrants against Vijay Mallya in GMR cheque case

HYDERABAD: A local court has issued four more non-bailable warrants (NBWs) against businessman Vijay Mallya after he failed to appear in a court here in connection with alleged dishonour of cheques amounting to Rs 2 crore to GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd.

The 11th Special Magistrate at Erramanjil Courts complex yesterday issued the NBWs against the grounded Kingfisher Airline Chairman and another senior official of the company after they did not appear before the court. The NBWs have to be executed by March 29.

Advocate H Sudhakar Rao, appearing for Mallya told PTI, "Four more NBWs were issued yesterday which pertain to alleged dishonour of cheques of Rs 50 lakh (each) totalling Rs 2 crore."

"Previously also NBWs were issued and we challenged the orders of lower courts in High Court and have got orders from High Court dispensing with his (Mallya's) attendance besides from personal appearance for examination," he said, adding "again we are challenging this order in High Court and file an application seeking quashing of the order issuing NBW."

GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd, or GHIAL, which runs Hyderabad's Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, had earlier filed petitions in the different courts seeking Mallya's prosecution for defaulting on payments and cheating them by allegedly issuing cheques that bounced.

The 14th Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate court on March 10 issued NBWs in connection with a Rs 50-lakh bounced cheque against the now-defunct Kingfisher Airline, its Chairman Vijay Mallya and another senior official of the company and posted the matter for April 13.

GMR counsel G Ashok Reddy earlier said there are a total of 11 cases involving Rs eight crore payment to GMR.

GHIAL, in October 2012, had withdrawn a case of "bounced" cheques against Mallya after the airline agreed to pay the outstanding amount due to the airport operator.

The court had also then issued NBWs against five senior executives of the airline, including Mallya.

"After the case was withdrawn, only a part of the due amount was paid and later they defaulted after which 11 cases were now filed against the airline under provisions of the Negotiable Instruments Act," sources said.