Even as Vijay Mallya refused to present himself before the enforcement directorate (ED) for the third time, the investigation agency is now mulling stern action against the liquor baron.
Sources said the ED might even move the court seeking issuance of an arrest warrant against Mallya or ask for a cancellation of his passport, forcing him to return to the country.
Mallya who is being questioned in connection with a money laundering case registered against him, failed to appear before the ED despite being given three summons. The ED issued its first summon asking him to appear before it on March 18, following it up with summons for April 2 and April 9.
On Saturday, the ED received a mail from Mallya asking it time till May to be able to appear before the agency.
Senior ED officials said that the provisions prescribed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) allowed it to send only three summons. If these were not adhered to, then the officers said the agency would have to take stern action.
A senior ED officer on condition of anonymity said, “With Mallya asking for more time and ignoring the third and the last summon, we are still looking at other options. We are looking at the options available to us under the PMLA and may take a decision by Monday,” he said.
Sources revealed that the ED was busy looking up prescribed steps under the PMLA, which would make Mallya return. Officers said Mallya was not cooperating with the agency by ignoring the legal summons.
