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Article126.png”” alt=””Article126″” />The Ministry of External Affairs has revoked the passport of liquor baron Vijay Mallya who is said to be in U.K. for the past one month. He is facing legal proceedings for alleged default of bank loans to the tune of Rs. 9,000 crores. “”Having considered the replies furnished by Vijay Mallya to the show cause notice, factors brought by Enforcement Directorate, and non-Bailable warrant under the PMLA Act, 2002, issued by Special Judge, Mumbai, the MEArevoked the passport of Mallya under Section 10 (3) (c) and 10(3)(h) of the Passports Act, 1967,”” MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup said on Sunday.

The Ministry had earlier reiterated that the Central government was committed to get Mr. Mallya back home to face justice. It had also consulted legal opinion on the reply given by Mr. Mallya’s lawyer to the show-cause notice issued to him. “”We are considering steps for Mr. Mallya’s deportation,”” Mr. Swarup had said on Friday. Last week, the MEA had suspended Mr. Mallya’s passport in accordance with the advice of the ED.

The Enforcement Directorate had asked the MEA to revoke Mr. Mallya’s passport for non-cooperation in the ongoing probe against him. He had ignored the summons issued by the ED on three earlier occasions and failed to present himself before the investigating agency. The former boss of the now defunct Kingfisher Airlines and a Rajya Sabha member faces a stiff legal battle ahead as the NDA government has given enough indications that it would take all steps to recover loans taken from various banks and bring him to justice.”