Mallya says govt holding him guilty without fair trial

Team Udayavani, Mar 10, 2017, 3:52 PM IST

New Delhi: Embattled liquor tycoon Vijay Mallya today accused the government of holding him guilty without a “fair” trial as he faces heat in the Supreme Court over loan default.

A day after the Supreme Court asked Mallya about his assets and transfer of USD 40 million to his children, he took to the twitter to clarify his position.

He also offered to negotiate with banks to pay one time settlement charge on his Rs 9,000 crore loan default.

“I have humbly obeyed every single Court Order without exception. Seems as if Government is bent upon holding me guilty without fair trial,” he said in one of the tweets.

The court had yesterday reserved orders on two pleas of lending banks seeking contempt action and a direction to him to deposit USD 40 million he had received from offshore firm Diageo respectively.

“The allegations against me by the Attorney General before the Honourable Supreme Court only prove the attitude of the Government against me,” Mallya said in another tweet.

Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi and senior advocate Shyam Divan, appearing for the banks, had yesterday contended that unless Mallya deposits USD 40 million before this court, he does not deserve to be heard and, moreover, he needed to appear personally as the contempt notice has already been issued.

“Public Sector Banks have policies for One Time Settlements. Hundreds of borrowers have settled. Why should this be denied to us?,” he said in a tweet as he sought negotiations with banks to pay a one-time settlement charge on Rs 9,000-crore loan default.

He said his offer for settlement have been rejected by the lenders without consideration.

“Our substantial offer before the Hon’ble Supreme Court was rejected by Banks without consideration. Am ready to talk settlement on fair basis,” he said. “Wish the Hon’ble Supreme Court would intervene and put an end to all this by directing Banks and us to negotiate and settle. We are ready.”

Last month, the Indian government handed over to the UK an extradition request for the businessman, who is facing cases of loan default and other financial irregularities.

Mallya, whose now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines owes more than Rs 9,000 crore to various banks, had left India on March 2 last year.