New Delhi, Aug 27 : The Supreme Court on Monday restrained the Centre from filling the post of Director General Medical Services (Air Force) and sought Centre's response on the plea by Lt. General Manomoy Ganguly who is asserting claim to be appointed as DGMS (Army).

The bench of Justice A.K. Sikri and Justice Ashok Bhushan restrained the Centre from filling the post as the court was told that the post of the DGMS (Air Force) is likely to be filled thereby closing the doors on Lt. General Ganguly.

Senior counsel Kapil Sibal, who appeared for Lt. Gen. Ganguly, told the court that a man junior to Ganguly by one year is being appointed to the vacant slot.

The court was informed that to defeat the claim by Lt. Gen. Ganguly, the DGMS (Air Force) has been posted as DGMS(Army).

The court ordered that the post of DGMS (Air Force) should not be filled as it perused the records relating to the matter before it.

Attorney General K.K. Venugopal said that it was the decision of Defence Minister to move the DGMS (Air Force) as DGMS (Army).

Attorney General said, "It is Defence Minister's order." Sibal retorted: "Maybe. It may be Prime Minister's decision. A Defence Minister is not above law."

Senior counsel P.S. Patwalia also appearing for Ganguly told the court that he was being offered a three-tier post.

"So far I have not been given anything. They are offering him a three-tier post. If third post (DGMS-Air Force is filled by a third person, then nothing will be left", Patwalia told the court.

The top court by its August 1, 2018 while differing with the Armed Forces Tribunal's May 7, 2018, direction to appoint Lt. Gen. Ganguly as DGMS (Army) had remitted the matter to the Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

The AFT by its May 7, 2018, order had directed the Centre to appoint Lt. Gen. Ganguly as DGMS (Army) "as expeditiously as possible and certainly not later than one month from today, and for that purpose, take all necessary consequential steps."

The next date of hearing is September 10.

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New Delhi, Apr 07 (PTI): Fugitive liquor baron Vijay Mallya has claimed that Indian banks have got access to his properties worth Rs 14,131.6 crore, more than twice the amount that he owed to public sector banks.

Mallya cited purported reference to the details of restoration done by the Enforcement Directorate against wilful defaulters in the Finance Ministry's annual report 2024-25 to say that banks have already recovered Rs 14,131.8 crore against Rs 6,203 crore awarded by the Debt Recovery Tribunal.

"Finally, against aT judgment debt of Rs 6,203 crore, admitted recovery of Rs 14,131.8 crore, which will be evidence in my UK bankruptcy annulment application. Wonder what banks will say in an English Court," Mallya said in a post on X.

Sharing details of fugitive economic offenders, including Mallya and 10 others, the report said a total of 44 extradition requests have been sent to various countries in respect of 36 individuals.

As per the annual report of the ministry, a complete amount of attached properties worth Rs 14,131.6 crore has been successfully restored to the Public Sector Banks in the case of Vijay Mallaya.

The efforts of the ED have resulted in successful representation before Competent Court abroad in the extradition of various fugitive economic offenders and other accused, the report said.

"In this regard, it is pertinent to mention that the UK Court has approved extradition of few high profile accused persons to India following effective representation of the Directorate in coordination with other LEAs (law enforcement agencies) and Indian mission abroad," it said.

TheT bench of Bengaluru in 2017 had ordered the SBI-led consortium of banks to start the process of recovering Rs 6,203 crore, at an annual interest rate of 11.5 per cent, from embattled Mallya and his companies in the Kingfisher Airlines case.

Mallya, who fled to the UK in March 2016, is wanted in India over a default of Rs 9,000 crore that was loaned to esrtwhile Kingfisher Airlines (KFA) by several banks.

India has been seeking Mallya's extradition from the UK. He had in the past offered to repay 100 per cent of "public money" but accused the banks and government of refusing his offer.

In February, a London Court heard a set of complicated arguments involving a consortium of banks led by the State Bank of India seeking repayment of an estimated judgment debt of around GBP 1.05 billion owed by the 69-year-old businessman's now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines.