Trouble brewing for ‘King of Good Times’
Freewheeling style back to haunt Mallya as UK court rules he should be extradited to India
LONDON: Vijay Mallya built a reputation as India’s “King of Good Times”. He invested in alcohol brands, air travel and motor racing. His parties featured an array of celebrities, businesspeople and entertainers. But the freewheeling, flamboyant style he cultivated may be coming back to haunt him.
A British court ruled on Monday that Mallya, 62, should be extradited to his native India, which he fled in 2016 in the face of a mountain of unpaid bills and fraud accusations.
The government of India has accused Mallya of conspiracy to defraud, making false representations to make a gain for himself, and money laundering.
Mallya’s lawyers have argued that there is insufficient evidence to pursue a case against him and that the prosecution is politically motivated. They also say he is at risk of being subjected to a flagrantly unfair trial because of political pressure and media reporting.
Senior District Judge Emma Arbuthnot wrote in the ruling that she had found a prima facie case on the three potential charges.
“I find no evidence to support the contention that the request for VJM’S extradition is in fact being made for the purpose of prosecuting or punishing him on account of his political opinions,” she noted.
In a statement, Anand Doobay, Mallya’s lawyer, said his client would be “carefully considering the court’s judgment and, therefore, it would not be appropriate to make any further comment at this time”.
Mallya, who turned a family brewing business into a huge conglomerate, has been compared with British entrepreneur Richard Branson. Flight attendants on Kingfisher Airlines, which Mallya established in 2003, wore uniforms like those worn by crew members on Branson’s Virgin Atlantic.
Mallya’s company, United Breweries, the maker of Kingfisher beer, expanded into chemicals and fertiliser, later adding a stake in the Force India Formula One racing team.
He made a splash with his displays of wealth, inviting top businessmen, Bollywood stars and singers including Lionel Richie and Enrique Iglesias to his birthday parties.
He was willing to make similarly bold moves in the corporate world, ordering 50 Airbus planes in 2007 for $7 billion, part of a plan to expand Kingfisher Airlines internationally and to install a luxurious business class.
The case will now be sent to Home Secretary Sajid Javid, who will decide whether to order the extradition. Mallya may still appeal the decision by the court or the home secretary.