Govt. trying to hold me guilty without 'fair trial': Mallya

Liquor baron Vijay Mallya on Friday came down heavily upon the Centre, saying that the allegations levelled against him by the Supreme Court shows the attitude of the government which is trying to hold him guilty without 'fair trial'.

"The allegations against me by the Attorney General before the Honourable Supreme Court only prove the attitude of the Government against me," Mallya tweeted.

"I have humbly obeyed every single Court Order without exception. Seems as if Government is bent upon holding me guilty without fair trial," he further tweeted.

Questioning the government on policies for one time settlement in public sector banks, Mallya asked as to why he was denied the same.

Showing willingness to cooperate with the government and settle all the dues, Mallya urged the apex court to intervene and direct banks and him to negotiate and settle.

"Our substantial offer before the Hon'ble Supreme Court was rejected by Banks without consideration. Am ready to talk settlement on fair basis," he wrote.

"Wish the Hon'ble Supreme Court would intervene and put an end to all this by directing Banks and us to negotiate and settle. We are ready," the tweet further read.

The apex court yesterday fast-tracked the proceedings against Mallya and reserved its order on contempt proceedings against him for allegedly diverting $40 million to his children's accounts in foreign banks in violation of court orders.

A bench of Justices A.K. Goel and U.U. Lalit reserved its order on whether or not Mallya was guilty of contempt and what action should be taken to bring back the money.

The court concluded the proceedings after a three-and-a-half-hour hearing during which the Centre contended that Mallya was mocking the Indian system after fleeing the country. It said the government was holding talks with U.K. authorities to get him deported.

The SC had started proceedings against Mallya a year ago and had issued notice to him on March 8, 2016 on a plea by a consortium of banks led by the State Bank of India (SBI) for recovery of about Rs. 9,000 crore which the businessman and his companies owed to them.

The liquor baron, however, fled the country days before the apex court took up the case against him.

Attorney general Mukul Rohatgi urged the court to direct Mallya to bring back the $40 million which he had received from Diageo. He told the bench that Mallya had breached court orders and his refusal to bring back the money had aggravated the breach and he should be directed to appear personally before the court.