Generally, people who flee from country on socio-political or criminal grounds lay low and avoid limelight at any cost. Liquor baron Vijay Mallya however seems unperturbed of media exposure.
The now-defunct Kingfisher airlines honcho, who has been absconding from India since March last year, was on Sunday spotted at the Edgbaston Cricket Stadium in Birmingham, watching the India vs Pakistan cricket match. The pictures of Mallya watching the game sitting in the VIP stands have gone viral on social media. In another viral photo, Mallya was seen having an interaction with former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar.
People wonder how come a person, whom India’s top agencies are trying to track and bring back to the nation, make such a royal appearance at a prestigious event that was being viewed live by millions.
It is known that Mallya, who owes around Rs 9000 crore to a consortium of Indian banks, fled India for the UK in March last year. He was officially declared an absconder by a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act court in November last year.
In April this year, London’s Scotland Yard formally arrested Mallya on an extraction warrant but he was granted a bail within hours. While his highly-paid lawyers have been fighting the extradition case in the UK on his behalf, out on bail, he seems to be enjoying his flamboyant life.
