Don't call 'gentleman' Mallya a 'crook': Farooq Abdullah

National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah on Friday said that it would not be appropriate to call Vijay Mallya a 'crook', adding the liquor baron is a normal human being and would abide by the law.

"The Government of India will deal with Mallya. It will do what is necessary. Vijay Mallya will come back. I don't think there is any need of arresting Mallya, he will answer all the questions and will come back when summoned," said Abdullah

"Mallya started a very good airline but that airline became his greatest failure and whatever troubles he has today is because of the airline he owned. He went bad, his business failed like so many people's business fail but you don't call them crooks, he is a normal human being," he added.

Mallya today rubbished claims that he had absconded from the country.

In a series of tweets, the liquor baron said he is an international businessman, who travels from India frequently, and added that he is not an absconder.

Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad, yesterday accused the NDA Government of helping Mallya escape India.

"This government is part and party in the criminal conspiracy in him fleeing the country. Without the help of the government, he could not have escaped," the Congress leader said.

"Vijay Mallya is not a needle that can't be found. He is a tall and well-endowed man who can be seen from 1 km away. He doesn't travel alone; instead he is always accompanied by 'hoors' and he disappears?" he said.

The Supreme Court had on Wednesday brushed aside a plea by Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi to direct Mallya to appear personally before the court to force him to come back to India.

The case will be next heard on March 30.

The SBI, which leads a consortium of 17 lenders to King Fisher Airlines, declared Mallya wilful defaulter last month. Besides the SBI, United Bank of India (UBI) and Punjab national Bank (PNB) have also declared Mallya as wilful defaulter.