Appear in HC on Jan 19 or face warrant, Mallya told

 The High Court of Karnataka on Friday summoned liquor baron Vijay Mallya to appear before it on January 19, 2017.

A division bench of Justices Jayant M Patel and Aravind Kumar rejected his interlocutory application (IA) that sought recalling of the court’s earlier order for his presence, and indicated that a warrant might be issued if he failed to appear at the next hearing.

The court is hearing a contempt petition filed by a consortium of banks that had lent money to Kingfisher Airlines, the now-defunct airline promoted by Mallya. The banks contended that even as the matter was pending before the Debt Recovery Tribunal’s (DRT) Bengaluru bench, Mallya pledged 1,04,86,666 shares of UB Limited and 1,04,64,288 shares held by his son Siddharth Mallya to Standard Chartered Bank.

The bench adjourned the hearing until January 19, 2017, for framing of charges on the contempt petition.

Mallya has contended that the high court has no jurisdiction to exercise power of contempt for violation of his oral undertaking before the DRT and that the tribunal was not subordinate to the high court.