Vijay Mallya: I did not flee from India and neither am I an absconder

Last Modified: Fri, Mar 11 2016. 09 18 AM IST

Bengaluru: Liquor baron Vijay Mallya took to micro-blogging website Twitter on Friday morning amid allegations that he fled the country despite ongoing court procedures against him.

In a series of morning tweets, Mallya said, "I'm an international businessman. I travel to and fro and from India frequently. I did not flee from India and neither am I an absconder. Rubbish."

Mallya further dismissed claims made my media reports against disclosure of his assets and wealth under various other businesses.

"News reports that I must declare my assets. Does that mean that banks did not know my assets or look at my Parliamentary disclosures?" he asked in a tweet.

In another tweet, Mallya indicated that he will comply with the law of the land, adding, "As an Indian MP, I fully respect and will comply with the law of the land. Our judicial system is sound and respected."

Mallya went to on to say that he will not resort to "trial by media" in the ongoing case.

Mallya's tweets come at a time when a consortium of 17 banks led by the State Bank of India (SBI) have ramped up their inquiries against Mallya in the past week to recover an estimated Rs.9,091 crore owed by his grounded Kingfisher Airlines Ltd, after the latter locked-in on a deal with British liquor company Diageo Plc to resign as chairman of USL, a subsidiary of Diageo, for a promised payment of $75 million.

Ire in the courts against Mallya has only been rising.

According to a Mint report on Wednesday, the Supreme Court disclosed Vijay Mallya had left the country even as creditor-banks and enforcement agencies were closing in on the UB Group chairman to recover dues. Attorney general Mukul Rohatgi, representing the banks, informed the apex court that Mallya left the country on 2 March, citing the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). He is likely to be in London, where he has property, Rohatgi added.

Earlier this week, the debt recovery tribunal (DRT) in Bengaluru barred him from accessing the $75 million payout by Diageo Plc, responding to an application by creditors led by SBI.

The tribunal said Mallya cannot access the money until a case filed against him by SBI is settled. In a series of applications filed by SBI, the bank also demanded Mallya's arrest, the impounding of his passport and a full disclosure of his assets and liabilities.

First Published: Fri, Mar 11 2016. 08 21 AM IST

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