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POLITICS

The Congress also asked the govern- Defence minister Nirmala riod made it sick? Whose period had
ment to reveal the details of Mallya’s Sitharaman, meanwhile, termed as favouritism and cronyism entering
meetings with Finance Minister “motivated” the Congress’s demand in to suggest to the central bank and
Arun Jaitley. of Jaitley’s resignation over his meet- written instructions given to banks to
Rahul Gandhi, on his part, accused ing with Mallya, saying it was a strat- lend to this defaulter,” she asked.
Jaitley of colluding with a “criminal” egy to deflect attention from the UPA Joining BJP’s counter-offensive,
and not informing investigating agen- government’s “cronyism and favorit- law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad
cies about liquor baron Vijay Mallya’s ism”. Sitharaman was quoted as say- asked whether Gandhi and Mallya
plan to leave the country. Rahul also ing that a brief conversation which were “working in tandem” and
questioned Prime Minister Narendra Mallya had with Jaitley in a corridor claimed the liquor baron had alleg-
Modi’s role in Mallya’s flight to Britain of Parliament is being “played up” and edly benefitted from bank facilities
in 2016. “Why did Jaitley allow Mallya asserted that responses to the issue during the UPA government. Railway
to escape, or was it an order from the have “reinforced” the fact it was not a minister Piyush Goyal termed Mallya
a ‘criminal’ and said his words could
conversation of any merit.
prime minister?” he asked. “This is a
War of words erupts over clear-cut case of collusion. There is explained as to how Vijay Mallya not be taken seriously, adding that
Jaitley, she noted, had already
banks were pressured by the UPA
some deal between them. Finance
Minister Jaitley must resign and this
misused his privilege as Member of
regime to sanction loans to Mallya
Jaitley-Mallya meeting should be investigated,” he said. Parliament to speak to him. To a ques- due to the Gandhi family’s “relations”
with him.
Senior Congress leader PL. Punia
said that on March 1, 2016, when he
Adding fodder to the Opposition’s
was in the Central Hall of Parliament, Congress leader PL charges, former Attorney General
he had seen Jaitley and Mallya talking Mukul Rohatgi told NDTV it was a
“discreetly”. “On March 3, we heard Puniya alleged he “big coincidence” that Mallya left In-
• Dues remain Both BJP and Congress ment letters. “I left because I had a in Parliament and expressed to from the media that he (Mallya) fled had seen fugitive dia on the same day a consortium of
Jaitley, in a scheduled meeting in Geneva, I met them my desire to settle with the the country on March 2. I have clearly banks moved to recover their unpaid
Facebook post, are accusing each other the finance minister before I left, banks. I don’t believe I owe any stated about this in each of my inter- liquor baron Vijay debt and it was possible that someone
has denied a of colluding with the repeated my offer to settle with the further details.” The 62-year-old views with the media. There are CCTV could have “tipped him off”.
settlement had banks... that’s the truth,” Mallya told Mallya, who was famously known cameras, we can all see that for proof. Mallya and Finance Retorting to the claims, BJP
been reached beleaguered aviation tycoon reporters outside London’s West- as ‘King of Good Times, also said If I am wrong, I will quit politics,” Minister Arun spokesperson Sambit Patra flashed
with Mallya to help him leave the country minster Magistrates’ Court, where that he was not “tipped off” by any- Punia said. He said the meeting a bunch of documents at a press
before he had without repaying 9,000 his extradition case is being heard. one and he had “happened to meet” between Jaitley and Mallya lasted for Jaitley speak in conference and told reporters
left India Jaitley, in a Facebook post, denied Jaitley in Parliament — a statement 15-20 minutes. the central hall that a series of letters between the
crore of unpaid loans and a settlement had been reached. Jait- seen as a dilution from his earlier Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and SBI
several other liabilities, ley said he had declined to hold an “innocent statement” that he had Kejriwal, in a tweet said, “Why did the of Parliament in show “how the previous dispensa-
TEHELKA BUREAU reports audience with Mallya by telling him met the finance minister before Finance Minister hide this informa- March 2016 tion under Sonia Gandhi was biased,
tion till now?” “PM Modi meets Nirav
partial and kept all norms and regu-
leaving India and had told him
there was “no point talking to me”.
A rebuttal, Mallya appeared to tone “I can confirm to you that nobody meets Vijay Mallya before he flees tion about Congress lawmaker PL Kingfisher. Sometimes it seems the
Modi before he flees the country. FM
about his settlement offer for banks.
Immediately after Jaitley’s sharp
lations at bay to give a sweet deal to
recent statement by fu-
down the seriousness of his com-
airline was not owned by Mallya, but
gitive liquor baron Vi-
tipped me off. There was no need to
India. What transpired in these meet-
run and the allegations are media
ings? People want to know,” Kejriwal
Punia’s claim that he had seen Jaitley
ments, saying it was “not fair” to
by the Gandhi family in proxy.”
jay Mallya that he had
The boss of the defunct King -
tweeted.
sitting with Mallya in Parliament’s
create a controversy over this is-
created allegations.”
met Finance Minister
CPM General Secretary Sitaram
Arun Jaitley to settle
But Mallya’s “happened to
footage to corroborate it, Ms Sithara-
on an extradition warrant since his
and he only “happened to meet”
matters with the banks before leav- sue as it was not a “formal meeting” meet” rectification or clarification Yechury said, “It’s a fact that all of Central Hall and there would be CCTV fisher Airline, who has been on bail
ing India has sparked fresh contro- the finance minister. “I happened could not stop Congress and other us had known earlier. Whatever man shot back, asking if the footage arrest in April 2017, is fighting extra-
versy. The Bharatiya Janata Party to meet Mr. Jaitley before in Parlia- opposition parties from target- denials government may issue, it would also have audio recording. dition to India on charges of fraud
(BJP) and Congress are in a war of ment and told him that I am leaving ing the government for “hiding” confirms that all those who looted “It already seems a very motivated and money laundering amount -
words over the remark, with both for London... I did not have formal the information. Demanding the public money by taking loans from allegation,” she said of the Congress’ ing to around 9,000 crores. King-
the parties accusing each other of meetings scheduled with him,” he details of Mallya’s meeting with the banks and absconded, not one of charge against Jaitley. fisher had to be grounded in
colluding with the beleaguered avi- said. Congress president, however, finance minister, the Congress said, them happened to leave the country Hitting out at the Congress, she October 2012 under a burden of over
ation tycoon. accused Jaitley and the government “Mallya’s comment he met Jaitley without knowledge of the govern- said letters were written to the 9,000 crore of unpaid loans and
Mallya, while appearing for a of lying on the issue. confirms our assertion that govern- ment. They (govt) have to own up to Reserve Bank of India and State Bank several other liabilities, including
hearing of his extradition at Lon- On whether he met any other ment was fully complicit in flight of the fact that they allowed this loot of India during the UPA’s rule to help defaults on employee salaries and
don’s Westminster Magistrate BJP leader before he left India for people like him and others. The gov- to happen and the fact that they are Mallya. “They are in tour face. How other payments.
Court, added that the banks in India London, Mallya said, “Over a period ernment must explain how Vijay allowing this loot to happen, more favouritism naming that one com-
had filed objections to his settle- of time, I have met many colleagues Mallya was allowed to leave India”. are looting.” pany has been made... Whose pe - LETTERS@TEHELKA.COM
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