'Bhagoda economics': Cong's dig over Mallya's remark on informing Jaitley before leaving India
New Delhi, Jun 6 (PTI): The Congress on Friday took a swipe at the Modi government over fugitive liquor baron Vijay Mallya's reported remarks that he had informed then finance minister Arun Jaitley before leaving the country in 2016 and said "Narender's whole system has turned out to be a surrender".
In another jibe, the opposition party also said Modi government's "pakoda economics" turned into "bhagoda economics".
The Congress often mocks the government using the term 'pakodanomics", an apparent reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's reported comment in 2018 that selling 'pakoras' is also employment.
The Congress shared a video clip from a recent podcast Mallya did with social media influencer Raj Shamani in which he claimed he had informed Jaitley before leaving India in 2016. "It is clear that Modi government had a hand" in the businessman fleeing from the country, the party said.
The party's media and publicity department head Pawan Khera also posted the same clip.
Mallya is heard saying in clip, "I told the finance minister, Arun Jaitley, before leaving for the airport and then I flew from Delhi to London, I was on my way to Geneva for an FIA world council meeting which was fixed months ago. I told the finance minister because I went from Parliament to the Delhi Airport. When this news hit the media it once again created a storm."
People, he said, went running to Jaitley who denied meeting him. Then, a Congress MP saw them together and said so to the media.
"Mr Jaitley had to retract his statement and said, 'yes, yes I met him but only while walking, it was a fleeting meeting'. I never said I went to Mr. Jaitley's office, sat in front of him, had tea with him... All I said was that I told the finance minister while leaving, I am going to London, I have to go to Geneva for a meeting, I will be back, please tell the banks to sit across the table and settle with me.
"How long does it take to say this sentence, it can be talked about while walking'... but you see the way he denied it then when the Congress MP pointed out his mistake and said he saw us, he quickly changed," Mallya said.
Khera responded to the podcast with a post targeting the government and reiterating party leader Rahul Gandhi's surrender comment.
"The foreign minister tells Pakistan that it is being attacked. The bank fugitives flee the country by informing the finance minister. Narender's entire system turned out to be a surrender," he said.
Party colleague, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh, tagged the post with the "pakoda economics" jibe.
"Pakoda economics jo ban gaya bhagoda economics (pakoda economics that turned into fugitive economics)," he said.
Mallya, who fled to the UK in March 2016, is wanted in India over a default of Rs 9,000 crore that was loaned to erstwhile Kingfisher Airlines (KFA) by several banks.
India has been seeking Mallya's extradition from the UK. He had in the past offered to repay 100 per cent of "public money" but accused the banks and government of refusing his offer.
भारत छोड़ने से पहले मैंने मोदी सरकार के वित्त मंत्री अरुण जेटली को बताया था कि मैं विदेश जा रहा हूं।
— Congress (@INCIndia) June 6, 2025
इसके बाद मैं संसद से सीधे दिल्ली एयरपोर्ट के लिए निकल गया।
- विजय माल्या
साफ है विजय माल्या को देश से भगाने में मोदी सरकार का हाथ है। pic.twitter.com/tSIGZWNeLd
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Mangaluru: Man sentenced to 20 years rigorous imprisonment in POCSO case
Mangaluru: A court in Mangaluru has sentenced a 44-year-old man to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment in connection with a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
According to Deccan Herald, the Additional District and Sessions Judge, FTSC-II (POCSO), Maanu K S, delivered the judgment.
The convict has been identified as Dayanand Moolya (44).
According to Special Public Prosecutor Sahana Devi Boloor, the incident occurred on November 16, 2025, when a seven-year-old girl was studying alone at home and the accused illegally entered the house and raped her. He threatened to kill her and throw her into a well if she revealed it to anyone.
The survivor later informed her mother, following which a complaint was registered at Mulki Police Station on November 22. Police Inspector Manjunath B S investigated the case and submitted the charge sheet to the court.
For the rape, under POCSO Section 6, along with Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Act 65(2) and POCSO 4(2), the man has been sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 30,000. For illegal entry into the house, under BNS Section 332(B), the convict has been sentenced to three years of simple imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5,000. For issuing death threats, under BNS Section 351(3), he has been sentenced to two years of simple imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5,000.
The court also directed payment of Rs 4 lakh as compensation to the survivor, including Rs 40,000 from the fine amount, and instructed the District Legal Services Authority to provide the remaining Rs 3.60 lakh.
