'Surprised at Mallya reneging on professional commitments'

Union Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapati Raju said on Saturday he was surprised at how former liquor tycoon and Kingfishers Airlines promoter Vijay Mallya managed to renege on a string of professional commitments.

"I myself was surprised. Kingfisher had not paid its labour, its leasees, the petroleum companies and airport authorities. How he managed that, please ask him. I told Parliament that I cannot put the clock back. And it is the government of the day that should have taken action," Raju said, adding that "law would take its own course" vis-a-vis the offences booked against Mallya.

He also said, that some of the cheques the now-absconding Mallya had issued to the Airports Authority of India had bounced.

"Law takes its own course, because some cheques he had given us bounced. So that becomes a criminal offence. The law is taking its own course, I can assure you that government of India is not going to protect anyone who is unlawlful," he said.

A non-bailable warrant had also been issued against Mallya in connection with the dud cheques.

--IANS

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