The Karnataka High Court on Friday made it clear that it will issue warrant against liquor baron Vijay Mallya for his production before the court, if he does not personally appear on January 19, 2017, to face trial in a contempt of court proceeding.

He faces charges of violating an “oral undertaking” given before the Bengaluru Bench of the Debt Recovery Tribunal in 2013 in the Kingfisher Airlines loan recovery proceedings.

A Division Bench comprising Justice Jayant M Patel and Justice Aravind Kumar passed the interim order, while rejecting an application filed on behalf of Mallya, who is residing in London, for recalling the court’s October 20, 2016, order, in which the court had found a prima facie case for framing charges against him for violating the undertaking.

Rejecting submissions of Mallya’s counsel, the Bench said that High Courts have power to initiate contempt proceedings for violation of the declarations made before the DRTs though the tribunals are vested with power to initiate action against such violations by the parties. The Bench on October 20 had directed Mallya to be personally present before the Court on November 24 for framing of charges, while asking his counsel to convey the court’s direction to him.

However, Mallya did not appear but an application was filed on his behalf for recalling the order.

It was alleged in a petition, filed by a consortium of banks led by the State Bank of India, that Mallya had pledged 1,04,86,666 shares of UB Ltd held by him and another 1,04,64,288 shares held jointly by Mallya and his son Siddarth Mallya with Standard Chartered Bank in violation of the undertaking that he would “not transfer, alienate or otherwise deal with his assets till the next date of hearing”.

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