Vijay Mallya episode another case of Lalit Modi: NCP

NCP leader Majeed Memon suspected 'connivance' on part of the NDA govt to help liquor baron Vijay Mallya flee the nation

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Majeed Memon on Friday suspected 'connivance' on part of the NDA Government to help liquor baron Vijay Mallya flee the nation and said that the entire episode was just another case of former Indian Premier League (IPL) commissioner Lalit Modi.

"As far as Vijay Mallya case is concerned, there was a noise on the floor of the House in the Rajya Sabha yesterday. Leader of Opposition Shri (Ghulam Nabi) Azad did raise this point that how could he run away when there were serious allegations of huge money due to him. And if such a person can slip away from the country, it is only a failure of the administration. So, the government treasury benches were not able to give a satisfactory answer. None the less, the House has expressed its anxiety and anguish on this development of his disappearance suddenly and making himself beyond the reach of law," Memon told ANI.

"It seems there was connivance in helping him slip out.There are proceedings against him, the law will take its own course although it will be very difficult now for the process of law to reach him since he is outside the jurisdiction of India and this is another case of Lalit Modi," he added.

Meanwhile, 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 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.