Willing to pay 100% amount borrowed from banks by Kingfisher Airlines, says Vijay Mallya

Disgraced liquor baron Vijay Mallya on Tuesday (March 31) reiterated that he is still willing to pay 100% of the amount borrowed by his company Kingfisher Airlines to the banks. Mallya added that despite his repeated offers to pay the money the banks are not showing any interest in taking the money. He has also claimed that the Enforcement Directorate is also not showing any interest in releasing the attached properties of his company. Mallya expressed hope that Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman would listen to his request at a time when the country is battling coronavirus pandemic.

"I have made repeated offers to pay 100 % of the amount borrowed by KFA to the Banks. Neither are Banks willing to take money and neither is the ED willing to release their attachments which they did at the behest of the Banks. I wish the FM would listen in this time of crisis," Mallya tweeted.

I have made repeated offers to pay 100 % of the amount borrowed by KFA to the Banks. Neither are Banks willing to take money and neither is the ED willing to release their attachments which they did at the behest of the Banks. I wish the FM would listen in this time of crisis. — Vijay Mallya (@TheVijayMallya) March 31, 2020

Talking about the 21-day nationwide lockdown announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to curb the spread of coronavirus, Mallya said that it was an unthinkable step. Mallya noted that all his companies are closed due to the lockdown but they ar enot sending employees home and are paying them their salaries too.

"Indian Government has done what was unthinkable in locking down the entire Country. We respect that. All my Companies have effectively ceased operations. All manufacturing is closed as well. Yet we are not sending employees home and paying the idle cost. Government has to help," Mallya said.

Indian Government has done what was unthinkable in locking down the entire Country. We respect that. All my Companies have effectively ceased operations. All manufacturing is closed as well. Yet we are not sending employees home and paying the idle cost. Government has to help. — Vijay Mallya (@TheVijayMallya) March 31, 2020

The beleagured liquor baron also urged everyone to maintain social distancing to fight coronavirus. "inImportant to stay safe and maintain social distancing which can effectively be achieved by staying home and enjoying home time with family and pets. I am doing the same. We all have a sense of bravado but it’s not worth challenging an unknown enemy which isn’t Pulwama or Kargil," he tweeted.

Mallya had fled India in March 2016. In January this year, Mallya, had become the first businessman to be declared an FEO under the provisions of the new Fugitive Economic Offenders Act which came into existence in August 2018.

In June 2019, the Royal Courts of Justice, London, approved Mallya's plea to appeal against the extradition case. The appeal plea was filed by Mallya in April.

He remains on bail on an extradition warrant which was executed by Scotland Yard in April 2017. In 1992, an Extradition Treaty was signed by India and the UK and the treaty has been in force since November 1993.