Vijay Mallya claims he informed Jaitley before leaving India
Congress terms Modi govt as ‘surrendered’
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New Delhi: In a fresh twist to the long-standing controversy over fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya’s escape from India, Mallya has claimed in a recent podcast that he informed then Finance Minister Arun Jaitley before departing for London in 2016. His remarks have reignited political debate, with Congress leader Pawan Khera lashing out at the Modi government, calling it “Narendra’s surrendered system.”
Speaking on the podcast, Mallya said, “I told Finance Minister Arun Jaitley before leaving for the airport and then I flew to London from Delhi.” He added that the revelation caused a storm in media and political circles at the time, with questions raised on how he left the country despite being under investigation.
Mallya also recalled that when the news first broke, Jaitley denied meeting him. “A Congress MP saw us and then told the media, ‘No, I saw them together’. Jaitley had to retract his statement. He then said I met him, but only while walking — it was a fleeting meeting,” Mallya stated.
Clarifying further, Mallya said he never claimed to have had a formal meeting inside Jaitley’s office. “All I said is that I told the Finance Minister while leaving that I’m going to London to go to Geneva for a meeting. I’ll be back. Please tell the banks to sit across the table and settle with me. How long does this take — this one sentence?”
He also criticised media reporting on his case, stating, “This is the problem with the media, particularly where I’m concerned. They conjure up stuff, blow things out of proportion. Okay, it’s good for their business, then let them continue doing it.”
Reacting to the revelations, Congress leader Pawan Khera posted on X (formerly Twitter), “Foreign Minister attacks Pakistan by telling them. Bank fugitives flee the country after informing the Finance Minister. Narendra’s entire system turned out to be surrendered.”
Mallya’s comments have stirred fresh debate over the circumstances surrounding his flight from India and the role of senior government officials during the period. The Opposition has once again raised questions on the Modi government's handling of economic offenders.
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Ruckus outside counting centre in Mamata's constituency, TMC claims entry of car with BJP flag
Kolkata (PTI): The counting centre at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's Bhabanipur assembly constituency witnessed a ruckus a day ahead of the counting of votes, with TMC workers alleging two cars bearing the BJP's flag were allowed entry to the compound where EVMs are kept.
The incident comes close on the heels of a four-hour-long sit-in by Banerjee in front of the same counting centre at the Sakhawat Memorial Girls School on Thursday night, alleging unauthorised entry of persons into the strongroom.
With the polling now over, the wrangling for power in West Bengal has turned into a battle of nerves between the incumbent TMC and the BJP. Workers and leaders of both parties have been keeping a steely gaze on the security of strongrooms across the state where the electoral fate of the candidates is sealed.
Despite expressing her confidence in a "landslide victory", Banerjee has repeatedly aired her apprehensions of "counting malpractice and EVM tampering ahead of the day of results".
On Sunday morning, TMC workers camping 100 metres from the counting centre alleged that two cars with BJP flags entered the premises and went near the strongroom.
"The CAPF personnel at the spot are not allowing any vehicle or person to enter the premises of the counting centre without valid identity proof. Then how come this car, which we have not seen in the past few days, was allowed entry? Once we protested, the central forces asked us to move 100 metres away," a TMC activist said.
The TMC claimed that while the police personnel posted there promised the vehicle would be removed from the spot, it remained there for some time.
A senior Election Commission official said the car was passing by the Harish Mukherjee Road, and after checking by security forces and police, it was allowed to leave as nothing objectionable was found in it.
On Thursday night, two counting centres, including one at Sakhawat Memorial Girls School in the city, witnessed high drama after TMC leaders alleged a lack of transparency and possible malpractice at the strongrooms housing sealed EVMs of the assembly polls, which concluded on April 29.
TMC leaders and candidates, Sashi Panja and Kunal Ghosh, held a sit-in outside the Khudiram Anushilan Kendra counting centre on Thursday evening, alleging unauthorised activities inside the strongroom amid the absence of TMC agents
In Howrah, TMC protested renovation work by the public works department at a place adjacent to the strongroom, and the EC stopped the work temporarily.
On Saturday, the ruling party filed a complaint with the poll panel, alleging unauthorised sorting of postal ballot covers at the EVM strongroom in Khudiram Anushilan Kendra.
Similar scenes were witnessed on Saturday outside the strongrooms at Asansol College in Paschim Bardhaman and the Barasat Government College in North 24 Parganas districts, where TMC workers held protests, alleging that CCTV cameras were switched off for several minutes.
The EC turned down all allegations, saying the surveillance cameras were working in an uninterrupted manner.
BJP spokesperson Sajal Ghosh told reporters that the people of Bengal were finding it "hilarious" that the TMC, "which used to win elections through unfair means and strongarm tactics" were now coming up with all sorts of "frivolous charges".
"Are they scared of losing?" he posed.
