Fugitive liquor baron Vijay Mallya, who is currently fighting extradition to India in the UK court, legal troubles have increased as he is set to face bankruptcy proceedings in the UK High Court next year.

London’s High Court of Justice has accepted a bankruptcy petition against Vijay Mallya, hearing to which is scheduled during the first half of 2019. Paul Gair, a partner at TLT LLP, the UK-based law firm which had won a landmark case for the 13 banks led by State Bank of India (SBI) earlier this year, confirmed the development.

Paul Gair stated: “We can confirm that we presented a bankruptcy petition against Dr Mallya on behalf of the banks on 11 September 2018. “This was issued in Dr Mallya’s local court, Northampton County Court, and has now been transferred to the insolvency list in the High Court of Justice in London for the hearing. The hearing is expected to take place in the Spring.”

TLT LLP in May has won a benchmark case against Mallya when the UK High Court judge refused to overturn a worldwide order freezing Mallya’s assets and upheld the ruling of the Indian court. Mallya is currently on bail after the Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London orders his extradition.