The Enforcement Directorate has identified assets worth over £600 million in a fresh attack against liquor baron Vijay Mallya. The agency is in the works to initiate the second round of attachments under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act after the businessman recently made his absence before a special PMLA court under a proclamation order issued under sections of the Criminal Procedure Code.
Sources said the agency has identified several pledged shares, associated immovable and movable assets of Mallya and his family members that would be seized and frozen as part of its action plan to widen probe in the case. They said, "Similar action can be initiated against few others named in the case apart from Mallya." Adding that the agency has already written to banks and other financial institutions to obtain details in this regard. Meanwhile, the agency is also in the process of getting a 'proclaimed person' order issued from the special court which will be further sent to the Ministry of External Affairs in order to execute the India-UK MLAT to bring Mallya back from London.
The ED had sought a proclamation notice in June, to be issued against Mallya as it said he had "multiple" arrest warrants pending against him, including a non-bailable warrant under the PMLA, and that the agency wants him to join the probe "in person". It has already attached his properties worth about £141.10 million under PMLA in the case a few months back, and wants Mallya to personally join the investigations in its PMLA probe against him and others in the £90 million alleged loan fraud of banks. A Delhi court had issued a non-bailable warrant against him in a 2012 cheque bounce case.
