The Congress stepped up its attack on the Government in the Rajya Sabha on Friday, demanding to know why the CBI amended the look-out notice it issued against the debt-ridden businessman Vijay Mallya less than a month after it was issued in October 2015.
Raising the issue of Mallya’s departure from the country, leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad accused the Government of being party to a “criminal conspiracy.”
Meanwhile, even as Mallya claimed from his abode in the UK that he was not an absconder, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday sought his appearance for questioning on March 18 in the alleged money laundering case involving the default in payment of Rs 900 crore due to IDBI from the now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines.
The ED, which had earlier in the day questioned A Raghunathan, former Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Kingfisher Airlines, is understood to have directed Mallya to furnish documents relating to his personal finances.
With his reputation having gone for a toss ever since it became known that Mallya had sneaked out of the country at midnight on March 2 on a Jet Airways flight from the Indira Gandhi International Airport in the national Capital, he put out a series of tweets to claim that he had not fled the country nor was he an absconder.
“I am an international businessman. I travel to and from India frequently. I did not flee from India and neither am I an absconder. Rubbish,” Mallya tweeted.
“As an Indian MP, I fully respect and will comply with the law of the land. Our judicial system is sound and respected. But no trial by media,” he tweeted.
“News reports that I must declare my assets. Does that mean that banks did not know my assets or look at my Parliamentary disclosuresIJ” Mallya asked.
“Once a media witch hunt starts it escalates into a raging fire where truth and facts are burnt to ashes.... let media bosses not forget help, favours, accommodation that I have provided over several years which are documented. Now lies to gain TRPIJ,” Mallya tweeted, as he also castigated the Editor of a leading TV channel for spreading “absolutely sensational lies”.
Meanwhile, Mallya’s controversial departure from the country echoed for the second consecutive day in Rajya Sabha. Raising the issue during Zero Hour, leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said reports indicated that the CBI had issued an order to immigration on October 15 last year to detain Mallya if he tries to leave the country. The order was changed a month later and immigration was asked to inform the CBI. He sought to know the reason behind this and accused the Government of being party to “criminal conspiracy” and urged the Supreme Court to take cognizance.
Azad also accused the Government of “doublespeak.” Elaborating upon it, he said, “Environment activist Priya Pillai was off-loaded following a Government order some time back when she was to leave for a foreign country to attend a seminar. There was no court order in Pillai’s case and yet she was not allowed to travel despite having a valid visa. On the other hand Government claims it could not do anything against Mallya as there were no court orders to prevent him from flying out.”
However, the Government refuted the charge and said law will take its own course and will not allow a repeat of Bofors accused Ottavio Quattrocchi who escaped from the country during the Congress’ rule.
Not given to lose any opportunity to have a dig at its senior ruling alliance partner in the State and at the Centre, the Sena targetted the BJP over the “fleeing” of Mallya.
“Since he (Mallya) has given services to many, some allowed him to take loans, while others let the money drown. Then there are some who let him leave the country. People who were making a hue and cry over lalit Modi leaving the country should now answer how did he do soIJ” the Sena asked in an editorial published in its official mouth-piece “Saamana”
While poor farmers are driven to commit suicide when they fail to pay off loans obtained by staking their homes and holdings for small loans ranging from Rs 25,000-50,000, the laws do not seem to apply to Modi and Mallya, Sena said.
Meanwhile, the Bombay High Court on Friday deferred till March 28 hearing on two applications filed by Service Tax Department for recovery of over Rs.32 crore from Kingfisher Airlines and its chief Vijay Mallya.
One of the applications challenged a Magistrate’s order granting anticipatory bail to Mallya and others in a case filed by the Department against them for recovery of Rs 32.68 crore Service Tax collected by the airline from passengers during 2010-11, but not deposited in the Government Treasury.
The other application sought a direction to Mallya and other directors to appear before the trial court on April 6 for the next hearing, and also in the High Court in this case.