New Delhi: Despite being granted exemption from personal appearance, a defiant Vijay Mallya was at the Westminster Magistrate’s Court for the hearing in his extradition case.

“I do as my lawyers advise. This is a court. Let them present what evidence they have and we will present our case” the former Kingfisher airlines chief told reporters outside the court house before the start of his hearing.

With the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filing a 2000-page dossier as evidence against Mallya, the court has set the next date for hearing at September 14 at 2 pm. “We will file a strong case against Mallya in Court,” the CBI said.
After his court appearance, when asked why he fled India, Mallya said, “I have been living in England since 1992.”

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had chargesheetedMallya for defaulting on several bank loans amounting to nearly Rs 9,000 crore. The fugitive liquor baron had been granted bail by Chief Magistrate Emma Louise Arbuthnot until December 4 in the first hearing being held on June 13. The second hearing had been scheduled for July 6 which was being held on Thursday.

Mallya was arrested in Scotyand Yard on fraud allegations in April and released on bail after a few hours on conditional bail after paying 650,000 pounds until December 4, the date tentatively fixed as the final hearing in the case.’