New Delhi: Liquor baron Vijay Mallya’s resignation from Rajya Sabha has been rejected on procedural grounds by chairman Hamid Ansari.

Mr Mallya has been informed that his resignation letter does not conform to prescribed procedures and the original does not even bear is signature.

Mr Mallya — who is wanted by banks for $1.4 billion in unpaid loans — had resigned from the Rajya Sabha yesterday. Earlier today, the ethics committee of the Upper House recommended that he be expelled.

In his resignation letter sent from London, he had said that he didn’t want his name and reputation to be “further dragged in the mud”. “Since recent events suggest that I will not get a fair trial or justice, I am hereby resigning as a member of the Rajya Sabha with immediate effect,” the letter had added.

The businessman, who owes over Rs. 9,000 crore, has made it clear that he has no plans to return home from the UK to face creditor banks. In a tweet this morning, he had also denied that he was a defaulter.

“Agree Kingfisher Air owes money to Banks. I am neither a borrower or a judgement debtor. Why am I a defaulter inspite of a settlement offer?” he had tweeted.

India has asked UK to deport Mr Mallya, who moved there in March. An arrest warrant is already out against him in a money laundering case. In April, his passport was revoked.