Vijay Mallya's passport suspended for 4 weeks on ED advice

NEW DELHI: The Ministry of External Affairs suspended businessman and lawmaker Vijay Mallya’s diplomatic passport for four weeks on the advice of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is seeking to question him on allegations of money laundering. The action is in contrast with the Lalit Modi case in which the Regional Passport Office (RPO) revoked his passport only for it to be restored later.

Mallya hasn’t appeared before ED despite being summoned three times and has sought time until May to present himself. The government has sought Mallya’s response within a week as to why his passport should not be revoked.

“If Mallya fails to respond within the stipulated time, it will be assumed that he has no response to offer and the MEA will go ahead with the revocation,” the ministry said in a release. ED has also sought a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against Mallya from a Mumbai court, which if granted will force him to move the judiciary to avoid being jailed on his return to India. ETwas the first to report on Friday that that ED had sought legal opinion before moving the court on the matter.

According to a government official, Mallya is deliberately avoiding a personal appearance despite a statutory requirement. Officials said the failure to appear before the investigating authority under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) is tantamount to willful non-compliance with the legal process.

Suspension of his passport makes Mallya’s stay in the UK illegal, officials said. If the court issues a non-bailable warrant, the government can then ask Interpol to issue a red-corner notice, paving the way for his deportation to India, added an official. Mallya has denied any wrongdoing.

Mallya, who holds a diplomatic passport on account of his status as Member of Parliament, was supposed to present himself before the ED's investigators in Mumbai last Saturday. He left the country on March 2 for the UK.