Rahul Gandhi demands immediate probe into allegations made by Mallya, asks Jaitley to step down

Mallya told reporters in London that he met the Finance Minister Jaitley before leaving India and offered to settle with the banks.

F1 Force India team boss Vijay Mallya speaks to the media outside Westminster Magistrates Court during a break for lunch as he attends a hearing at the court in London, Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2018. | AP 

NEW DELHI: Congress president Rahul Gandhi Wednesday demanded an immediate probe into the "extremely serious" allegations made by fugitive liquor baron Vijay Mallya and said Finance Minister Arun Jaitley should step down till the investigation is over.

Mallya, facing charges of fraud and money laundering amounting to around Rs 9,000 crore and fighting an extradition case, told reporters in London that he met the finance minister before leaving India and offered to settle with the banks.

"Given Vijay Mallya's extremely serious allegations in London today, the PM should immediately order an independent probe into the matter.

Arun Jaitley should step down as Finance Minister while this probe is underway," Gandhi tweeted.

Jaitley, however, rubbished Mallya's statement, saying he never gave him an appointment since 2014 but the liquor baron misused his position as Rajya Sabha MP to accost him in Parliament.

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