 "Lenders prompt in steps to recover dues from Kingfisher: SBI")
Refuting charges of "laxity" on the part of lenders to recover dues from Kingfisher Airlines and its promoter Vijay Mallya, State Bank of India (SBI) on Thursday said as the lenders moved promptly to take legal steps to protect banks' interest and public money.
"As leader of the consortium, we strongly deny the media reports which appear to be based on hearsay and conjecture without any reference to the factual position in the matter," SBI said in a statement.
Read more from our special coverage on "KINGFISHER AIRLINES"
A consortium of banks which lent to Kingfisher are currently involved in more than 20 cases in various courts, including the Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT), from June 2013. The number of hearings held in these cases have been in excess of 500, with more than 180 adjournments.
The statement comes amid the uproar in Parliament on Thursday over Mallya leaving the country. Kingfisher owes the banks over Rs 9,000 crore.
There were media reports that SBI, advised by a Delhi-based law firm to move the Supreme Court, high courts or DRTs to stop Mallya from going abroad towards the end of last month, didn't act promptly.
On Wednesday, Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi informed the Supreme Court that Mallya left the country on March 2.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had also said banks should have acted earlier to stop Mallya from going abroad, even as he warned of "appropriate action" against those responsible for any "inaction" in recovery of dues.
