Fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya has publicly stated he is legally prohibited from leaving the United Kingdom, where he has been a permanent resident since 1992. Mallya, currently facing extradition to India over a ₹9,000 crore loan default, accused the Indian government of being "grossly unjust" in its treatment of him.
In a series of social media posts, Mallya questioned why he is continuously labeled a "bhagoda" (fugitive) and a fraudster by the media and authorities. He emphasized that his continued presence in the UK is not a refusal to return but a consequence of legal restrictions on his travel.
Allegations of Injustice and Fund Recovery
Mallya shared what he claimed was a recovery statement, questioning why he has not received funds he believes are due back to him. He also pointed to an Enforcement Directorate (ED) affidavit filed in the Bombay High Court, which he said showed ₹14,131.60 crore had been recovered from him in 2021. Despite this, he lamented, he is still referred to as a fraudster.
He further claimed that the ED released over ₹350 crore from his attached funds to pay employees of his defunct Kingfisher Airlines, asserting he could not pay them earlier because his assets and funds were seized.
The Case Against Vijay Mallya
Vijay Mallya is at the center of a high-profile legal battle concerning a massive loan default by Kingfisher Airlines, which ceased operations in 2012. The airline had borrowed significant sums from a consortium of 17 public sector banks, led by the State Bank of India (SBI), leaving behind substantial unpaid debts and non-performing assets.
Indian agencies, including the ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), have charged Mallya with fraud, willful default, and money laundering under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Allegations include the diversion of loan funds to personal assets, luxury corporate jets, and sports teams like Royal Challengers Bangalore and Force India.
Mallya departed for the UK in March 2016. In October 2025, he was officially declared a Fugitive Economic Offender under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018, alongside other prominent figures like Nirav Modi.