Enforcement Directorate has sought revocation of beleaguered businessman Vijay Mallya’s passport in connection with its money laundering probe in over Rs 900 crore IDBI loan fraud case.

Officials said the agency has written to the Ministry of External Affairs to take action under the Passport Act, 1967 and ask the Regional Passport Office (RPO) to revoke the diplomatic passport of the beleaguered businessman as he has turned out to be “un-cooperative” with its investigators probing a criminal case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) at its zonal office in Mumbai.

It is understood that Mallya left the country for UK on March 2 using a diplomatic passport issued to him by virtue of him being a sitting Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament.

The agency, sources said, while making the request has also informed that despite cooperating with Mallya thrice by way of providing him fresh dates for personal appearance, the Investigating Officer (IO) of the case has only met with “non cooperation” which is leading to a delay in taking the probe forward.

Under the Passport Act, when a person is issued a diplomatic passport, their regular international travel document gets deposited and when a revocation is sought for the former is sought, the latter too gets cancelled.

They said once the ED request is okayed, the MEA will inform UK authorities about the same and seek for his deportation to India.

Mallya had not presented himself before ED investigators for the third time on April 9 and sought time till May to depose before it.

ED officials had, however, earlier said that the agency has by and large two options in case an accused skips appearance on summons thrice, the maximum time allowed under PMLA.

The options include revoking his or her passport and/or getting issued a non-bailable warrant.

ED officials had earlier hinted that the April 9 summons could possibly be the last to Mallya.

Mallya was first summoned by the agency to “appear in person” at its office in Mumbai on March 18 but he sought more time citing his prior engagements, following which the agency asked him to depose on April 2.

Mallya, who is facing legal proceedings for alleged default of loans worth over Rs 9,000 crore from various banks, was also directed by the Supreme Court to disclose all assets owned by him and his family in India and abroad by April 21.

The Supreme Court also sought to know when he will appear before the apex court.

With agency inputs