Didn't file clemency plea in Karnataka HC, ready to settle dues: Vijay Mallya
London, July 31 : Fugitive liquor baron Vijay Mallya, who is facing money laundering charges in multi-crore fraud case, on Tuesday said he has not applied for any clemency plea in India's Karnataka High Court and is ready to settle dues.
Mallya's assertion came after he came out of the Westminster court in London which he visited, along with his son Siddharth, to attend proceedings on his extradition trial.
"I have not applied for any clemency plea or a plea bargain in my unconditional offer to the Karnataka High Court. I am ready to settle my dues... There are no further requests at all," Mallya said interacting with the media outside the court.
The beleaguered businessman denied the money laundering charges against him, terming them "completely false".
"Allegations of money laundering and stealing money are completely false... At the end of the day, the courts will decide. The full amount is also to be determined.
"You can't have a situation where assets are attached based on complaints by the banks... And yet, the interest metre is rising everyday. It's an inequitable situation. So, let the judiciary decide what is right," Mallya said.
On the issue of extradition, he said: "As far as extradition case is concerned, I think you all have heard it. That is now for the next hearing on September 12. And I look forward to it."
He further said any litigation is exhausting, because the time spent on litigation can be used for more productive things. Asked why he suddenly decided to settled in London, Mallya said: "I have been trying to settle here since 2015."
The 62-year-old liquor baron, who fled the country on March 2, 2016, has been living in London ever since despite summons from Indian courts and law enforcement agencies to appear before them for trial in various related cases.
In a statement on June 26, Mallya had said that he had petitioned the Karnataka High Court to permit him and his holding firm United Breweries Holding Ltd (UBHL) to sell their assets under its supervision to repay creditors, including state-run banks.
"UBHL and myself have filed an application before the Karnataka High Court on June 22, setting out available assets of about Rs 13,900 crore," said Mallya from London in a statement released by his office in Karnataka.
Asserting that recovery of loans is a civil matter but it had been made a criminal matter in his case, Mallya had blamed the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate for criminalising it despite his intentions to settle the bank dues.
A consortium of 17 banks, led by the State Bank of India (SBI), gave Rs 5,500-crore loans to Mallya's now defunct Kingfisher Airlines for over a decade.
Claiming that the bulk of the dues were on account of interest, Mallya said owing to injunctions, attachments and refusal to grant permission to sell the assets, this had kept mounting.
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Hubballi: Gym trainer assaulted; police say clash due to personal reasons
Hubballi: A gym trainer was allegedly assaulted by a group of people following accusations of sexual assault and ‘love jihad’, even as both families involved in the case traded serious allegations.
According to police, a group of individuals went to the residence of Sameer Mulla, a resident of Vijayanagar, and questioned him over his friendship with a woman he had met at a gym. The situation escalated into a clash, during which he was allegedly dragged away and assaulted. He sustained minor injuries and was admitted to KIMS hospital.
N. Shashikumar said that after this incident, members from Sameer’s side went to the woman’s house, leading to another clash in which one person was injured. “It was wrong for groups to go near houses. We will take necessary legal action,” he said, adding that the incident appears to have arisen from personal reasons. Police have taken some individuals into custody and are investigating the matter.
Sameer Mulla was reportedly thrashed by a group of Sangh Parivar activists and later handed over to police at the Old Hubballi Police Station after relatives of the woman and members of Hindu organisations gathered at his residence in Rajnagar.
The woman’s family alleged assault and threats from Sameer’s relatives at their Vikas Nagar residence.
Meanwhile, Sameer’s family denied the allegations and accused the woman’s relatives and others of assaulting and kidnapping him. His sister said the two had been in a relationship for three years and that the allegations were baseless.
Police said statements from both sides have been recorded, and a detailed investigation is underway. Sameer remains hospitalised, and appropriate legal action will be taken based on findings.
In a video statement shared on social media, the 20-year-old woman alleged that Sameer had given her an intoxicant, recorded videos without her consent, and sexually assaulted her. She lodged a complaint alleging rape and blackmail, which police are investigating.
In another video, Sameer denied the allegations, claiming the video was recorded with consent and that the accusations were made under pressure.
Former Hubballi-Dharwad Urban Development Authority (HDUDA) chairman Nagesh Kalburgi termed the incident a serious matter and urged police to take strict action.
Police said the case involves multiple complaints from both sides, and further investigation is underway.
