RS' Ethics Committee to go by rules on Mallya issue: Chairman Karan Singh

After Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari referred the Vijay Mallya issue to the Ethics Committee, Chairman of the Committee Karan Singh on Monday said they have decided to proceed on the issue according to the panel's rules.

Speaking to reporters here, Singh said, "This morning the question regarding Mallya was referred to the Ethics Committee by the Chairman of the House."

"We had a meeting fixed for other matters a month or two ago. Because, it came today, we took cognisance of the reference and decided to proceed according to our rules," Singh added.

Earlier in the day, the Congress demanded that the industrialist be brought back to India, along with former Indian Premier League (IPL) chief Lalit Modi.

Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien, however, said that Chairman Hamid Ansari has rejected Congress leader Pramod Tiwari's notice on the Mallya issue, and the matter should be referred to the Rajya Sabha Ethics Committee.

Tiwari, while raising the matter, claimed that the beleaguered industrialist was elected to the Rajya Sabha with BJP support.

Mallya, United Breweries Group chairman, has allegedly defaulted on over Rs. 9,000 crore bank loans.