NEW DELHI: Ahead of the second part of the Budget Session, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu on Monday said the government is serious about bringing back Vijay Mallya, who has fled the nation with over Rs. 9000 crores of unpaid debt and urged the liquor baron to return to India and face the law.
“Passport (Mallya’s) has been revoked because he was not responding to the notices issued by Enforcement Directorate, I do not know why he is that. He should come and face the law and repay the banks. The government is very serious to bring him back and see that the money that he has taken from banks is paid back. Our government goes by the rule of law, we will not spare anyone,” Naidu told ANI.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Sunday revoked the passport of Mallya after considering the facts put forth by the Enforcement Directorate.
Earlier, the ED had written to the MEA seeking assistance in bringing back Mallya to India through diplomatic channels.
Sources said the agency had written that the ministry should take the initiative in this regard.
The Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court had directed the ED to execute the non-bailable warrant against Mallya in a case of laundering Rs. 900 crore.
The ED has alleged that Mallya diverted Rs. 430 crores for purchase of a property abroad from the Rs.950 crores IDBI loan for his Kingfisher Airlines.
The MEA had earlier while acting on the Enforcement Directorate's request suspended Mallya's diplomatic passport with immediate effect for a period of four weeks under Section 10-A of the Passports Act.