Hyderabad: A Hyderabad sessions court on Monday adjourned the hearing of Kingfisher cheque bounce case for May 25 on the quantum of sentence for liquor baron Vijay Mallya, who was convicted in two cheque bounce cases filed against him by the GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd.
Referring to the Andhra Pradesh High Court's earlier orders, the sessions court said that the accused should be heard before the judgment is passed.
On April 20, the Special Magistrate Court in Hyderabad had convicted Mallya and others in connection with bouncing of two cheques of Rs. 50 lakhs each under relevant Sections of Negotiable Instruments Act and adjourned for May 9 the matter to pronounce the quantum of punishment as Mallya, who left the country, was not present in the court.
The matter relates to cheques issued by Kingfisher Airlines Ltd. to GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd.
(GHIAL), which operates the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad, towards charges for using the facilities at the airport for its Kingfisher Airlines flights.
Mallya, currently in Britain, is accused of defaulting on payment of bank loans totalling Rs. 9, 000 crore.
The Centre revoked Mallya's diplomatic passport last week and told the Supreme Court that it would soon initiate court proceedings and approach the British Government for his extradition.
The Enforcement Directorate last month obtained a non-bailable warrant against Mallya from a Mumbai court in a money laundering case.
