Mallya PMLA case: ED expands probe, to add fresh charges

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has expanded the ambit of its money laundering probe against beleaguered businessman Vijay Mallya and will now investigate the alleged default of loans to the tune of Rs 6,027 crore availed from a consortium of nationalised banks, a case taken over by CBI recently.

Officials said the agency has already obtained details of the case from CBI and charges of cheating of the 17 banks are expected to be incorporated in the case registered under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against the liquor baron. The agency is already working on attaching some fresh assets of Mallya and his associates, besides invoking the India-UK Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) to make the businessman join the investigation here and getting issued an Interpol arrest warrant against him. 

ED sleuths, they said, will have an active cooperation with the CBI to take the criminal probe under various sections of IPC, Prevention of Corruption Act and PMLA forward.

The CBI had last week filed a fresh case under IPC sections related to criminal conspiracy and cheating against Mallya on the basis of a complaint received from State Bank of India on behalf of the consortium of lenders for causing a loss of Rs 6,027 crore to them by not keeping repayment commitments of loan taken during 2005-10.