Vijay Mallya has blessings of Modi govt, won't return: Congress

The party termed Hyderabad court's attempt of issuing a non-bailable warrant against Mallya futile

Slamming the Centre for letting liquor baron Vijay Mallya escape with money of Indian citizens, Congress on Sunday said the businessman would never return, as he has with him blessings of the Modi Government.

Congress spokesperson Tom Vadakkan told ANI: "Mallya has blessings of the current dispensation, and has no intentions to come back. The Government of India has made statements, which may sound fine but the question of deporting him or asking for his deportation will not occur."

Terming Hyderabad court's attempt of issuing a non-bailable warrant against Mallya and one more employee of Kingfisher Airlines "futile", Vadakkan said the step has come after the horses have bolted.

A Hyderabad Court has issued non-bailable warrants against Mallya and his defunct company Kingfisher Airlines' Chief Financial Officer A. Raghunath, and directed the duo to appear before the court on April 13.

"I think this is a futile exercise as the real players are out. Okay, you can summon other people find out facts, but the real people have been given a good send off from India, with the Government of India backing him. It is unfortunate," he said.

The government had earlier told the Supreme Court that Mallya had left India on March 2, following which the bench issued notice to him and sought his response within two weeks on pleas filed by a consortium of banks seeking direction for freezing his passport and his presence before the apex court.