(Image source from: Mangalore Today)

The Bengaluru police informed a Delhi court on Thursday that it had identifies 159 properties belonging to liquor tycoon Vijay Mallya, but had not been able to attach any of them owing to the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) money-laundering case relating to Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA) violations.

The Bengaluru Police, through the ED, told Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Deepak Sherawat that it was incapable to attach Mallya's possessions as some of them had already been attached by the ED, Mumbai zone, and the leftover assets were part of the liquidation proceedings.

Mallya was announced a proclaimed wrongdoer by the tribunal on January 4 for evading its summons.

ED's special public prosecutor N.K. Matta told the court that the agency required more time to identify other properties of Mallya which can be attached. The court allowed the agency's plea and directed the Bengaluru police to file a crisp report by October 11.

The court on May 8 through Bengaluru Police Commissioner had directed the attachment of Mallya's possessions in a suit and sought a report on it.

It had on April 12 earlier this year issued an open-ended non-bailable warrant against the liquor baron.

By Sowmya Sangam