Published 18:07 IST, April 17th 2019

Desperate Vijay Mallya latches onto Jet Airways' woes, claims discrimination for not being a PSU and repeats repayment offer

India's first declared 'Fugitive economic offender' under The Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018, Vijay Mallya, on Tuesday, has empathized with the cash-strapped Jet Airways by expressing solidarity with its founder Naresh Goyal.

Republic Business
0 min read

Follow:

Desperate Vijay Mallya latches onto Jet Airways' woes, claims discrimination for not being a PSU and repeats repayment offer

null | Image: self

India's first declared 'Fugitive economic offender' under The Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018, Vijay Mallya, on Tuesday, has empathized with the cash-strapped Jet Airways by expressing solidarity with its founder Naresh Goyal.

Mallya tweeted that while the Government had used Rs. 35,000 crore of public funds to bail out Air India, his own airline Kingfisher Airlines was 'discriminated upon' for not being a PSU.

Even though Jet was a major competitor to Kingfisher at the time I feel sorry to see such a large private airline on the brink of failure when Government used 35K crores of public funds to bail out Air India. Just being a PSU is no excuse for discrimination.
— Vijay Mallya (@TheVijayMallya) April 16, 2019

Even though we were fierce competitors, my sympathies go out to Naresh and Neeta Goyal who built Jet Airways that India should be extremely proud of. Fine Airline providing vital connectivity and class service. Sad that so many Airlines have bitten the dust in India. Why ?
— Vijay Mallya (@TheVijayMallya) April 16, 2019

He further questioned about 'airline karma' repeating his offer to pay back his Rs. 9000 crore debt in full to the banks which lent him his capital to 'make Kingfisher India's largest airline'.

I invested hugely into Kingfisher which rapidly grew to become India’s largest and most awarded airline. True, Kingfisher borrowed from PSU Banks as well. I have offered to pay back 100 percent but am being criminally charged instead. Airline Karma ?
— Vijay Mallya (@TheVijayMallya) April 16, 2019

He further clarified that he was willing to pay his loans back whether he 'was in London, or in an Indian jail'

Every time I say that I am willing to pay 100 percent back to the PSU Banks, media say I am spooked, terrified etc of extradition from the U.K. to India. I am willing to pay either way whether I am in London or in an Indian Jail. Why don’t Banks take the money I offered first ?
— Vijay Mallya (@TheVijayMallya) April 16, 2019

The 63-year old liquor baron and former MP of the Rajya Sabha, is currently in London, fighting his extradition to India on charges of fraud and money laundering amounting to an alleged Rs 9,000 crores. He is out on bail and is awaiting an oral hearing in the UK High Court for his appeal against his extradition ordered by Westminster Magistrates' Court in London last December, which was then signed off by UK home secretary Sajid Javid in February.

READ| Jet Airways management to take final call on operations by end of Tuesday

Updated 18:32 IST, April 17th 2019