'Legally prohibited from leaving UK': Vijay Mallya says Indian govt 'grossly unjust' to him

Fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya claimed that he is legally prohibited from leaving the United Kingdom (UK) due to the ongoing legal proceedings against him. Vijay Mallya said that he has been a permanent resident of the UK since 1992 and claimed that he is staying in the country due to a legal restriction on his travel to India.

He also questioned why is continuously referred to as a "bhagoda" and a fraudster in media coverage. Moreover, Mallya claimed that the Indian government had been "grossly unjust" to him in a barrage of social media posts.

He said in a post on X, "For all who say I am a bhagoda refusing to come to India, please be aware that I have been a permanent resident of the United Kingdom since 1992 and am currently legally prohibited from leaving this country. All this started with poster boy actions by the Government of India who have been grossly unjust in my case."

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Sharing a recovery statement, the fugitive businessman questioned why he has not received what he claims is money due back to him.

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Furthermore, he claimed that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) released around ₹350 crore from his attached funds to pay Kingfisher Airlines employees. "I could not pay because ED attached assets/funds," he said.

Referring to an ED affidavit filed in the Bombay High Court, Mallya claimed that ₹14,131.60 crore had been recovered from him back in 2021. "5 years on, I am still referred to as a fraud who cheated the banks," the fugitive businessman wrote.

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What is the case against Vijay Mallya?

At present, Vijay Mallya is facing extradition to India and legal battles over a ₹9,000 crore loan default linked to his now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines. The now-defunct airline borrowed huge loans from a consortium of 17 public sector banks (PSBs) led by the State Bank of India (SBI).

The airline collapsed in 2012, leaving behind unpaid debts and non-performing assets (NPAs) in its wake. Agencies such as the ED and the CBI charged Mallya with fraud, willful default, and money laundering under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). He is alleged to have diverted loan funds to personal assets, corporate jets, and sports teams (Royal Challengers Bangalore and Force India).

When was Vijay Mallya declared a fugitive?

Mallya left for the UK in March 2016. Seven years later, in October 2025, the government told the Lok Sabha that 15 people were declared Fugitive Economic Offenders under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018, including Vijay Mallya and Nirav Modi.