Vijay Mallya Asked To Appear In Delhi Court In September

New Delhi: A Delhi court has asked business tycoon Vijay Mallya, wanted in India for thousands of crores in unpaid, loans to personally appear in a case on September 9, lifting an earlier exemption.

The court today allowed a plea from the Enforcement Directorate and lifted the exemption on Mr Mally, 60, from a personal appearance in a case of alleged violation of foreign exchange rules.

Mr Mallya, who has been in the United Kingdom since March, has been declared a 'proclaimed offender' by a special court in a money laundering case back home. The creditors in India have also been trying to recover dues of Rs 9,000 crore owed by his long-grounded Kingfisher Airlines.

Yesterday, the embattled liquor baron made a rare public appearance in the UK as he attended the free practice sessions ahead of Sunday's British Grand Prix, in Silverstone.

In a news conference he said, "Sadly I am currently unable to travel. That has to go through due legal process and since I am now spending my time in England - far more regulated, less hectic - I'm doing what I'm passionate about and one thing I sure am passionate about is Force India and Formula One and I spend a lot more time, I get a lot of pleasure out of it and the team is delivering the results."

"He had a good look at the practice sessions and also spoke to the drivers," a team source told PTI.

The Enforcement Directorate, which investigates financial crimes, says Mr Mallya has ignored a series of orders to return to India. Recently, it attached his property worth Rs. 1,411 crores.

New Delhi cancelled Mr Mallya's passport in April. It had formally requested London that he be deported, which is faster than the process of extradition under a treaty between two governments.

But Britain told India that it can't deport the liquor baron under its laws but can help with his extradition.