‘Let them come with whatever proof they have,’ he said at an F1 event in the UK.
Speaking on the sidelines of a Formula One event in the UK, businessman Vijay Mallya, who is wanted for the Rs. 9000 crore loan default of Kingfisher Airlines, stated that he firmly believed there was no case against him, and that he has become a ‘political football’ in India. “I prefer to be safe in England than sorry in India," he told the media in the UK.
According to reports, Mallya was seen with two F1 drivers Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon at the event in London.
On Monday, the Ministry of Home affairs forwarded a request to the Ministry of External Affairs to deport the liquor baron from the United Kingdom to India. The MHA has provided details of the Mumbai special court order which approved the Enforcement Directorate's request to invoke the India-UK Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) to bring Mallya back to the country, according to reports.
Mallya has however remained defensive.
“It all started with failure of Kingfisher airlines, which is a public company. The government-owned banks tried to hold me personally responsible, I have a counter-claim in the judicial system. The CBI, at the behest of the government, converted this into a criminal matter and charges of defrauding banks appeared. I firmly believe they have no case against me,” he said.
He also said that the cases against him are political in nature. “I have become a political football between the two political parties.”
Mallya was confident that he will win the cases.
“There is a requirement of legal and judicial determination in the UK. Let them come with whatever proof they have, I am sure they have none.”