Ethics Committee for Mallya's expulsion from RS with 'immediate effect'

The Ethics Committee of Parliament has recommended the expulsion of flamboyant businessman Vijay Mallya with immediate effect as it would send a stern message that such steps can be taken 'erring' members to uphold the upper house's dignity.

The Committee unanimously decided at its meeting yesterday to recommend to the Rajya Sabha that Mallya be expelled with immediate effect and adopted the draft report.

The committee expressed hope in its 10th report tabled in the upper house that by taking such a stern action a message would reach to the general public that the Parliament is committed to take such steps as are necessary against erring members 'to uphold the dignity and prestige of this great institution'.

"We want to send a message that when things go wrong like this parliament is prepared to take action even against its own members," Ethics Committee chairman Karan Singh told the media here.

Rajya Sabha chairman Mohammad Hamid Ansari yesterday rejected the resignation letter of liquor baron Vijay Mallya as it lacked his original signature.

Secretary General of the Upper House Shumsher K. Sheriff wrote to Mallya that his resignation letter doesn't conform to the prescribed procedures and doesn't bear signature in original.

He said that as per Rule 213 of Rajya Sabha procedures, the resignation must be voluntary and genuine.

A day after liquor baron Vijay Mallya resigned from the Rajya Sabha, the ethics committee of the Upper House recommended that he be expelled.

Earlier, Mallya resigned as a Rajya Sabha MP a week after the Ethics Committee decided to unanimously expel him from Parliament.

Mallya has said that the Indian Government would not be able to recover any money from him by taking his passport or arresting him.

The committee had given him a week's time to explain his conduct in the default on bank loans in excess of Rs. 9,000 crore extended to his Kingfisher Airlines Ltd.

The government had revoked the passport of Mallya, who is believed to be in the UK after leaving India on March 2.

The liquor baron is facing legal proceedings for alleged default of loans worth over nine thousand crore rupees from various banks.