BackVijay Mallya slams CBI, ED on Twitter for hounding him on ‘trumped-up’ charges
'Wilful defaulter' Vijay Mallya claims that he is being made a pawn in a political game between the ruling BJP-led NDA and the Congress-led UPA
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New Delhi: Just a day after all charges framed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against former telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran and his brother Kalanithi Maran were dropped, in the Aircel-Maxis case, liquor baron Vijay Mallya lashed out against the CBI claiming that all charges against him “were false and misconceived."
In a series of tweets by Mallya on Friday morning, he claimed that the “CBI made such a great drama accusing the Maran’s and putting them to great harm. What finally happened? Did truth prevail or CBI prevail? I am shocked at CBI allegations. All false and misconceived to say the least. What do a bunch of elite police know about business and economics?"
Mallya also went on to claim that he was being made a pawn in a political game. He said, “Media happily being used as the pitch. I am the football. Two fiercely competitive teams National Democratic Alliance (NDA) versus United Progressive Alliance (UPA) playing. Unfortunately there are no referees. (sic)"
The Congress was quick to respond to Mallya’s claims, stating that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was shielding him.
“The BJP started by making Mallya a Rajya Sabha MP. In 2015 the CBI had issued a lookout notice in 2015, which has now been withdrawn from all airports. Last year, before Mallya left, he had also met a senior cabinet minister who had tipped him off and helped him leave," Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala told Mint.
Surjewala also stated that Union finance minister Arun Jaitley’s budget speech which aimed at cracking down on black money launderers was a complete “farce," with the party being “completely dishonest" in its approach towards cracking down on Mallya.
“Under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) an offender’s assets can be confiscated and attached. Why has that not been done? The FM’s speech means nothing if the party is being dishonest when it comes to prosecuting the ilk of Mallya and Lalit Modi. The party helped Mallya escape to foreign shores, where he gets money in his offshore account with the party complicit in this," Surjewala added.
The BJP, however, remained silent on the matter.
“The party will not comment on any of these allegations or issues while the Parliament is in session. It is against legislation to comment on matters which may come up in Parliament and then we will take a call on this," said a senior BJP leader, requesting anonymity.
Late on Thursday night, Mallya also alleged that the CBI was systematically framing him in a conspiracy.
“The CBI selectively releasing e-mails to media which are being taken out of context and distorted to make allegations against me and UPA regime," he wrote on Twitter.
The CBI however, told Mint that this was a desperate attempt by Mallya to wade out of the airtight charges that had been made against him.
“Charges have been filed and we have now set the ball rolling for his extradition. If Vijay Mallya is not to blame, then why did he run away from the country? We are confident that the United Kingdom will extradite him because we have a very strong case against him. The UK has never turned down an extradition request by CBI. This process may take time, but we are confident it will happen," said a senior CBI official, on condition of anonymity.
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