While Mallya says 'life must go on', BJP assures action against him

A day after former liquor baron Vijay Mallya made a rare public appearance in England at an F1 race, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday reiterated that they will bring back the embattled business tycoon back to the nation at the earliest and proceedings will be made against him as per law.

Speaking to ANI, BJP leader Srikant Sharma, however, trained guns at the Congress, saying, "Vijay Mallya is the paap (evil) of Congress. The Congress had asked the banks to provide him with loans even after their refusal."

"The law of this country is very strong and our government is making every effort to bring him back to the country and punish him as per law," he added.

BJP MP Kirit Somaiya on his part also assured that Mallya, who has been declared a proclaimed offender by a Mumbai court in a money laundering case, will be brought back by the Indian Government and proper criminal action would be initiated against him.

"I am very much sure that he will be brought back to the country and proper criminal action would be initiated against him," Somaiya told ANI.

The UB Group chairman was yesterday spotted in a rare public appearance in England on the Formula 1 racing track.

Mallya, who co-owns Sahara Force India, at Silverstone in Northamptonshire, reportedly said that 'life must go on.'

"I love racing, I'm a petrolhead, and I'm passionate about it, that's why I bought this team in the first place. Monaco I missed terribly, I missed the bonus of the podium in Monaco, I missed Baku, which I believe is fantastic. To that extent I'd be lying if I said I missed nothing," he reportedly told a website.

"Having said that life must go on, and being based here and not travelling I have more time to devote to what I want to. Working out six days a week so I shed a few kilos and I'm feeling good and fit," he added.

He is also wanted by the Enforcement Directorate in its money laundering probe and the agency has also sought a global arrest warrant against them from the Interpol.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has published a court-issued proclamation for Mallya to appear before the special PMLA court on July 29. The Enforcement Directorate had earlier in May obtained a non-bailable warrant against Mallya from a Mumbai court.