Time not right for my return to India: Mallya

Beleaguered businessman Vijay Mallya on Sunday ruled out his return to India till the time was “right” even as a Hyderabad court issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against the liquor baron for failing to appear in a cheque dishonour case.

In another case, Mallya has been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to appear before it on March 18. The Hyderabad court order in the case of alleged dishonour of a Rs 50 lakh cheque to GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd came on Sunday.

On the same day, Union Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya said a probe will be launched to check whether there were anomalies in the Provident Fund (PF) contributions made by Mallya’s Kingfisher Airlines for its employees when it was functioning.

Mallya, 60, is facing multiple proceedings for allegedly defaulting on loans of over Rs 9,000 crore from various banks. His departure from India on March 2 unhindered in the middle of the probes also triggered a political row.

Taking forward its money laundering probe in the alleged default in payment of Rs 900 crore dues to IDBI Bank by the now defunct Kingfisher Airlines, the ED last Friday issued summons to Mallya for appearance in Mumbai on March 18.

Asked when he planned to return to India, Mallya told “The Sunday Guardian” in an e-mail



interview, “I want to return. But I am not sure I’ll get a fair chance to present my side. I’ve already been branded criminal. I do not feel the time is right.” Mallya did not respond to an e-mail by PTI on his future plans. He said he was being hunted down in the United Kingdom by media.

On March 11, Mallya had tweeted that he was not an “absconder” and keeps making frequent visits to and from India as an international businessman.

“I’ve not done anything wrong. I am being victimised...I’m one of the most open people. I’m forced to go into hiding and that makes me sick,” he said on Sunday.

The 14th Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate in Hyderabad issued NBWs on March 10 against the company (airline), Mallya and another senior official of the carrier and posted the matter to April 13.

Mallya’s counsel H Sudhakar Rao said he will move the high court seeking quashing of the non-bailable warrant. GMR counsel G Ashok Reddy said on Sunday, “He (Mallya) and others were supposed to appear before the court on March 10. They did not appear...hence, the court issued NBW order which has to be executed by April 13.” Amid the row, Minister of State for Finance Jayant Sinha said “full force of the law” is being applied to bring all wilful loan defaulters to justice.