Vijay Mallya has defended himself against accusations of being a ‘bhagoda,’ or fugitive. He stated that he is legally barred from leaving the United Kingdom. Mallya also criticized the Indian government, claiming that his treatment in this matter is ‘grossly unjust.’
In a post on X, Mallya said he has been a permanent resident of the UK since 1992 and claimed that his continued stay in the country was not a matter of choice.
Government’s stand on return to India
Mallya’s comments come amid his long-running legal battle in India and the UK over his return to India, proceedings under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act and recovery of dues. “For all who say I am a bhagoda refusing to come to India, please be aware that I have been a permanent resident of the United Kingdom since 1992 and am currently legally prohibited from leaving this country. The Bombay High Court had, however, told Mallya that he needed to return to India if he wanted to pursue his challenge to the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018.
All this started with poster boy actions by the Government of India who have been grossly unjust in my case,” Mallya said. The court said he could not avoid the jurisdiction of Indian courts and simultaneously seek relief from them. In December last year, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the government remained committed to bringing economic offenders back to India, while acknowledging that multiple legal processes were involved. “We remain fully committed that people who are fugitives and wanted by law in India, return to the country,” Jaiswal had said, adding that discussions were underway with several governments and that there were “several layers of legalities involved”.
