New Delhi: Liquor baron Vijay Mallya on Monday expressed 'regret' before the Supreme Court for not responding to summons issued by the Enforcement Directorate in a case pertaining to violation of foreign exchange rules in arranging funds for advertising during a car race abroad a decade ago.
Counsel Fali S Nariman and Ajay Bhargava, appearing for Mallya, before a bench headed by Justice Arijit Pasayat, said: "At the outset, I express regret for not responding to the summons of the ED issued in 1999."
The bench recorded the statement of Mallya and adjourned the matter for appropriate action. Without opposing the statement, Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium submitted that the government would take a decision in this regard.
However, Mallya had been acquitted by the court in the main complaint of diversion of the foreign exchange.
Earlier, the apex court had issued notice to Enforcement Directorate (ED) on a petition filed by Mallya seeking quashing of criminal proceedings against him in a case pertaining to violation of foreign exchange rules.
Mallya had moved the apex court against Delhi High Court order that turned down his appeal to quash criminal proceedings in a trial court for alleged 'willful' disobedience of summons issued by the ED over seven years ago.
The ED had alleged that Mallya violated the provisions of Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA) in arranging funds to advertise his liquor products abroad over a decade-ago.
The directorate wanted to interrogate the UB Group chief in connection with a contract signed in December 1995 with a London-based firm Benetton Formula Ltd for the promotion of the Kingfisher brand abroad.
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