Mallya ordered to pay further £150k

Vijay Mallya, the fugitive former head of India’s Unites Spirits, has hit a further setback in the UK courts and has been ordered to pay a further £150,000.

A London commercial court has ordered him to pay £150,000 to AMP Marketing, an intermediary which secured his Force India Formula 1 grand prix team a £1m-plus sponsorship from an Austrian water company in 2017.

AMP was due a 12% commission on the deal, which Mallya failed to pay. In its ruling the court said it found some of Mallya’s evidence under cross-examination “unconvincing”.

The Force India team collapsed into administration before the 2018 grand prix season and was bought by Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll. It is now called Racing Point.

Mallya’s final appeal against extradition to India where he faces charges of fraud and money laundering involving £1.15 billion, is set to be heard in February. Meanwhile, he remains on bail with his assets frozen worldwide. He has consistently denied all charges.