Government reacts to Lalit Modi-Vijay Mallya's viral 'biggest fugitives' video
What's the story
The Centre has responded to a viral video featuring Lalit Modi and Vijay Mallya, in which the former was seen bragging that they were "the biggest fugitives of India." The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday stated that the delay in their extradition is due to complex legal processes involving multiple countries. At a press conference, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "We are committed to bringing back the fugitives... Many of these cases involve multiple layers of legal procedures."
Video controversy
Viral video of Modi and Mallya sparks outrage
The government's statement comes days after the brazen video went viral, showing Modi mocking India by saying that he and Mallya were "the biggest fugitives" of the country. The video was posted by the former Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman on Instagram from a birthday party he hosted for Mallya in London. The caption of the post read, "Let me do something to break the internet down again."
Legal battles
Mallya's legal troubles and Modi's financial misconduct
To note, Mallya is wanted in India for fraud and money laundering related to loans taken for the now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines, which amounts to ₹9,000 crore. He was officially declared a fugitive economic offender in 2019. Mallya is currently out on bail in the UK and has also applied for asylum. On the other hand, Modi faces allegations of financial misconduct during his tenure as chairman of the IPL. Moreover, a non-bailable arrest warrant was issued against him in 2015.
Bankruptcy appeal
Mallya's bankruptcy order upheld in London court
Earlier this year, Indian banks, led by the State Bank of India (SBI), won a London court appeal upholding a bankruptcy order against Mallya. This was part of the ongoing efforts to recover a judgment debt of about £1.05 billion owed by Kingfisher Airlines. In October, it was reported that Mallya withdrew his appeal against the UK bankruptcy order, allowing asset recovery efforts to continue.