Rajya Sabha ethics panel wants to expel Mallya

The ethics committee of the Rajya Sabha has recommended expulsion of independent member, liquor baron Vijay Mallya, a day after he sent his resignation to Chairman M. Hamid Ansari.

Sources said the panel wants Mallya's resignation to be rejected, and his expulsion initiated through due procedure.

A final decision rests with the Rajya Sabha chairman.

Mallya sent his resignation to Ansari on Monday, a day before the ethics panel was to meet.

He later tweeted: "In all humility and not in defiance as they report, I would like Indian media to check and verify facts before calling me a defaulter."

Another tweet on Tuesday said: "7686 Wilful Defaulters Owe PSU bank Rs.66,190 cr -- easy to blame only Mallya."

Mallya is wanted for defaulting bank loans to the tune of Rs.9,000 crore.

He is an Independent member of the Rajya Sabha from Karnataka, and his term ends June 30.

This is his second term in the upper house.

According to parliament sources, during his tenure of almost 10 years as member of the Rajya Sabha, Mallya had been declaring his assets and liabilities as "nil".

The union government had revoked Mallya's passport after he failed to turn up for a probe into the loan default. This has set in motion the process for the billionaire's possible deportation from Britain, where he is staying at present.

His case was referred to the ethics panel by the Rajya Sabha Chairman, after he fled the country.

--IANS

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