Court issues summons to Mallya under new law
Mumbai, June 30: A special court here on Saturday issued summons to absconding liquor baron Vijay Mallya to appear before it on August 27.
The order came following a hearing on a fresh plea filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
The ED has sought action against him under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Ordinance in the over Rs 9,000-crore bank fraud case.
Prevention of Money Laundering Act Court Special Judge M.S. Azmi ordered issue of the notice to Mallya after taking cognisance of the recent second ED chargesheet and its application on June 22 seeking to invoke the charges against him under the FEO Ordinance.
This is first time that action has been initiated invoking the new Ordinance promulgated by the government to tackle fugitive bank loan defaulters.
If Mallya -- currently holed up in the United Kingdom -- fails to honour the special court's summons, he could be proclaimed a "Fugitive Economic Offender", and all his properties can be confiscated.
The special court has earlier issued non-bailable arrest warrants in Mallya's name in the two main cases lodged by the ED, but he has denied all charges against him.
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Kerala woman on trek at Tadiandamol hills goes missing, search operations on
Bengaluru (PTI): A 36-year-old woman, who went trekking at Tadiandamol hills in Kodagu district, has gone missing inside the forest. Additional personnel and drone cameras have been deployed to search for her, Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre said on Sunday.
He said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, expressing concern about the young woman's disappearance, instructed that search operations be intensified.
G S Sharanya had come alone from Kerala for the trek and stayed at a private homestay in Kakkabe village.
She had gone to the high mountain range of Tadiandamol hills in Kodagu with a guide and 15 other trekkers on April 2. She went missing that afternoon. As soon as the matter was known, five teams of 50 people, including police, the anti-Naxal squad, a dog squad and forest personnel were formed, and are conducting searches, the minister's office said in a statement.
According to Khandre, CM Siddaramaiah expressed concern about the disappearance of the young woman who went on a trek and instructed that additional personnel be deployed for the search.
"Four additional teams of 40 personnel have been deployed today. A total of 9 teams are conducting the search operation. Honest efforts continue to find the missing young woman," he said.
Further noting that, as per reports, the young woman last contacted the homestay by phone on Thursday, stating she had lost her way, the minister said, "Search is being conducted based on her phone location. Local tribal people have also rushed to help, and sophisticated thermal drone cameras have been obtained with an additional team deployed starting today."
