Why did CBI amend its 'lookout' notice for Vijay Mallya, asks Congress

Ghulam Nabi Azad accused the govt of being a party to the exit of Mallya when so many bank default cases were pending against him

The controversial exit of Vijay Mallya from the country rocked Rajya Sabha for the second day today, with Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad asking the government why did the CBI amend its 'lookout' notice against the industrialist within a month last year.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Azad said the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had amended the lookout notice against Mallya issued in October 2015 which had sought his detention if he tried to leave India.

However in November, this order was changed to merely "inform" the authorities in case he left the country.

What made the CBI change its original notice, the senior Congress leader asked and accused the government of being a party to the exit of the businessman when so many bank default cases were pending against him.

Observing that the government was arguing that there was no court order against Mallya, he said in the case of Greenpeace activist Priya Pillai, she was detained at an airport only on the government's order and there was no court order then.

"So why was Vijay Mallya not stopped? You said there was no court order against him" but Pillai was detained on government's order, Azad said.

Taking potshots at the Congress, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the NDA government will not give any concession to Mallya like the Congress-led regime did to Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi.

Mallya had left the country on March 2, well before banks moved the Supreme Court for seizure of his passport.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had yesterday informed Parliament that the total dues in Mallya's cases including interest amount to Rs 9,091.40 crore as on November 30, 2015.

The loans to companies promoted by Mallya were sanctioned in 2004 to 2007 and those turned into bad loans in 2009. The NPAs of his companies were restructured in 2010.