The ‘King of Good Times’, Vijay Mallya has finally broken his silence on the controversy over his leaving the country while lenders were approaching the Supreme Court on March 9 to restrain him from travelling abroad. Vijay Mallya had left the country on March 2, as per reports. Taking a stand on reports that suggested he was ‘absconding’, Vijay Mallya on Friday morning used his twitter handle to clear the air.
Mallya is facing legal proceedings for alleged loan defaults by his company to the tune of over Rs 9,000 crore. There have been unconfirmed media reports that the UB Group chairman and Rajya Sabha member, Vijay Mallya, is believed to be in London.
The Enforcement Directorate(ED) on Friday issued summons for appearance to liquor baron Vijay Mallya besides questioning a senior executive of Kingfisher airlines as part of its money laundering probe in the alleged default in payment of Rs 900 crore dues to IDBI bank.
Moreover, the UB group chairman and Rajya Sabha member also said that he shall abide by the law and comply with the judicial system.
The liquor baron also attacked media for ‘lying’ for the sake of gaining TRPs.
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court had agreed to hear a plea filed by a consortium of 17 PSU bank seeking a direction that Vijay Mallya be restrained from leaving India. However, what came as a surprise was the revelation by Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi that Mallya had left the country on March 2 and was probably in London.
The beleaguered Mallya had been facing CBI probe for defaulting on repayment of a loan of Rs 9000 crore taken from IDBI.
Reports suggest that Diageo had offered to pay $75 million (approximately Rs. 515 crore) to Vijay Mallya in a five-year period for stepping down from the post of Chairperson of United Spirits Ltd, which Diageo had acquired, and agreeing not to compete in business with it for a certain period. However, the Bengaluru Bench of the Debt Recovery Tribunal on Monday temporarily restrained the company from doing so.