Vijay Mallya claims he met Arun Jaitley before fleeing India: Who said what

Pic Courtesy: Reuters

Absconding liquor baron Vijay Mallya on Wednesday triggered a massive row as he appeared before London’s Westminster magistrate’s court for hearing in his extradition case. The liquor baron said that he met Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley before leaving India.

Though the claim was immediately denied by the Union Finance Minister, who said that what Mallya said was “factually incorrect”, it triggered a political storm in the country. The opposition got a shot in the arm and went all out against Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government and Finance Minister Jaitley.

Here’s who said what:

Sitaram Yechury, CPM

As with the Rafale scam and Choksi scam, this latest revelation by Mallya puts Modi govt in the dock. It is not the finance minister alone, we cannot be sure what other facts are being hidden even now

Anand Sharma, Congress

Vijay Mallya has run away after looting money from banks. Government had this info. So,when Finance Minister gave statements in Parliament on Vijay Mallya issue, he should have mentioned about this meeting with Mallya. Only FM can tell why he didn't tell about it?

Yashwant Sinha, former finance minister

Not only the finance minister, the entire BJP must come clean on its relations with Vijay Mallya.

Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi Chief Minister

PM Modi meets Neerav Modi before he flees the country. FM meets Vijay Mallya before he flees India. What transpired in these meetings? People want to know.

Priyanka Chaturvedi, Congress spokesperson

Now that it is confirmed that Mallya and Jaitley ji met to ‘try and settle issues’ before Mallya escaped the clutches of law, does the FM have any moral authority to continue in his post?

GVL Narasimha Rao, BJP spokesperson

Mallya's claims about a meeting with FM Shri @arunjaitley have been nailed by FM as lies. Mallya wrote letters to @PChidambaram_IN & former PM Dr.Singh about his meetings with them & thanked help in getting (bad) loans.UPA facilitated fraud; NDA nailed it

Prakash Javadekar, Union Minister

Both Vijay Mallya and @INCIndia stand exposed. It is pity that the Congress is depending on the falsehood of a fugitive.