Mallya denies repayment offer linked to Fugitive Ordinance
Bengaluru, June 27: Claiming that he had honestly tried to repay bank loans since 2016, beleaguered tycoon Vijay Mallya on Wednesday denied his offer to settle the dues was linked to the Fugitive Economic Offenders Ordinance.
"It is incorrect that my settlement offer before the Karnataka HC was motivated by the latest chargesheet under the media reported Fugitive Ordinance. I always had honest intentions to settle and there is ample proof," tweeted Mallya, a day after he broke silence on defaulting bank loans.
The May 27 Ordinance gives the law enforcing agencies powers to attach and confiscate the proceeds of crime and properties of economic offenders like bank defaulters or bank fraudsters fleeing the country, and is aimed at deterring economic offenders from evading the process of law by remaining outside the jurisdiction of Indian courts, a probe agency official told IANS here.
The 62-year-old liquor baron, who fled the country on March 2, 2016, has been living in London since then despite summons from Indian courts and law enforcement agencies to appear before them for trial in various related cases.
"I am asked for comment on being labelled a fugitive economic offender. When I have placed assets on the table before the Karnataka High Court in excess of the bank claims, how can I be an economic offender? The fugitive part falls away," said Mallya in another tweet.
Referring to some people asking him why he chose to make a statement at this time, he said he did so because he and his United Breweries Holding Ltd (UBHL) have filed an application before the high court on June 22, setting out assets worth Rs 13,900 crore.
"I made my media statement concurrent with my settlement offer now and was unable to make such an offer before due to various circumstantial changes about the value of my assets available," he tweeted.
He stressed the chargesheets of the Central Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement Directorate allege criminality with no intention to repay banks although he had been making efforts to settle since 2016.
"As I have placed everything before the high court, where is the malafide? Are banks interested in repayment?" he asked.
Admitting that the government, courts and banks were rightfully concerned about public money loaned to his now defunct Kingfisher Airline by the state-run banks, Mallya said he showed to the high court having assets in excess of the banks' claims and requested their sale under its supervision.
"The government wants to recover money loaned by the state-run banks. It used CBI and ED to attach and recover. I have placed all assets before the high court and submitted for sale. Banks should be very happy. But if the same CBI and ED object, what do I do?" he asked.
Regretting that the official narrative seemed to question his intentions, Mallya also denied delaying tactics or any agenda to score brownie points.
"What needs to be appreciated is a bona fide offer and commitment placed before the high court. Let Justice play its part," he pointed out.
Responding to the comment of Minister of State for External Affairs M. J. Akbar that he had years to repay the loans, Mallya said his settlement initiatives date back to 2016.
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Waqf Bill will be in dustbin if RJD wins Bihar: Tejashwi Yadav
Patna, Apr 5 (PTI): RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Saturday asserted that the Waqf Bill, passed earlier this week by Parliament, "will be consigned to the dust bin" in Bihar if his party came to power in the state.
Addressing a press conference here, the leader of the opposition also disclosed that his party has moved the Supreme Court, joining the litigants who have challenged the Bill.
Yadav, who is a former deputy chief minister, also took a swipe at Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U), claiming: "They are trying hard, but without success, to prove that the Bill will benefit Muslims".
"Just look at how the JD(U) has forced its Muslim leaders to address a press conference, which was quite a fiasco," alleged the RJD leader.
The JD(U) press conference, which concluded minutes before Yadav began his briefing, was attended by national general secretary Afaque Ahmed Khan, MLCs Khalid Anwar and Ghulam Ghaus, and former Rajya Sabha MPs Ashfaq Karim and Kehkashan Parveen, among others.
None of the senior leaders spoke after minority cell chairman Afzal Ansari and party spokesperson Anjum Ara read out a written statement highlighting the chief minister's efforts for the welfare of Muslims, in contrast with RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, who was accused of paying lip service to the community.
The press conference ended with all the leaders leaving quickly, dodging the volley of questions from journalists.
Yadav, whose party office is just across the street from the premises where the JD(U)'s event took place, remarked sarcastically: "It appears that photographs of Nitish Kumar at their office will soon be replaced with images of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Even a child knows the fate that awaits the chief minister after elections are over."
The RJD leader said the Waqf Bill was opposed by the party MPs in both Houses of Parliament as it violates Article 26 of the Constitution which deals with freedom to manage religious affairs.
"The Bill has been brought with the intention of diverting public attention away from pressing problems like unemployment and helping the BJP in its politics of polarisation. But we will not allow implementation of this Bill in Bihar. If we form the next government in the state, the Bill will be consigned to the dustbin," claimed the young leader, who is expected to lead the Mahagathbandhan in the assembly polls.
He said, "We have also moved the Supreme Court against the Waqf Bill. We believe that today Muslims are being targeted and tomorrow it may be the turn of Sikhs and Christians."
The BJP and the RSS have been always against religious minorities and Mandal Hindus - tribals, Dalits and Other Backward Classes, Yadav alleged.
"While we were in power, the quotas for deprived castes were raised to 65 per cent. These social groups may have a sizeable population, but their condition can be gauged from their negligible presence in medical and engineering services. But the hike in quotas got quashed by Patna High Court, on petitions filed by supporters of the BJP," he said.
Since Kumar does not seem capable of defending the depressed classes, the RJD has become a party before the Supreme Court in challenging the high court order, added Yadav.
Meanwhile, Union minister Chirag Paswan, who heads the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), accused the opposition of trying to create a "fake narrative" around the Waqf Bill "just to maintain a grip over what they see as their vote bank".
"They did the same when CAA was brought, when Article 370 was abrogated and when Ram temple was built at Ayodhya. None of these moves affected our Muslim brethren adversely," Paswan said.
The Waqf Bill draft makes clear that amendments will not have retrospective effect and, no existing Waqf property can be touched, he said.
The amendments will come to the rescue of Muslim citizens who may be locked in disputes with the Waqf Boards concerned.
"But the opposition is busy with its own agenda," alleged the Hajipur MP, when he was approached with questions by journalists.
