'If There's A Fair Trial, Dignified Existence': Vijay Mallya Says Open To Return To India
Vijay Mallya said he would consider returning to India if given a fair trial and treated with dignity. In a podcast, he also denied fleeing the country amid multiple accusations.
Former Royal Challengers Bengaluru owner Vijay Mallya on Thursday said he would consider returning to India if assured of a fair trial in accusations of defaulting on loans worth several crores from Indian banks.
During a four-hour-long podcast with entrepreneur and podcaster Raj Shamani, the liquor baron also said he expects a dignified existence, if at all he returns to India.
'If I have a fair assurance of a fair trial and a dignified existence in India, I will think about it (returning to India) seriously," Mallya told the podcaster.
As the conversation progressed, Mallya also addressed the allegations of misconduct against him and said, ' You may call me a fugitive, but I didn't run away."
'Fair enough, I didn't return for reasons that I consider are valid, so if you want to call me a fugitive, go ahead. But where is the ' chor ' (thief) coming from? Where is the ' chori ' (theft)?" he asked.
Mallya is currently living in London, and he is the subject of extradition efforts from the Government of India for alleged loan defaults, including from the State Bank of India (SBI).
In February this year, Mallya filed a petition in the Karnataka High Court seeking loan recovery accounts from banks.
Senior advocate Sajan Poovayya appeared on behalf of Mallya.
Soon after the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) defeated Punjab Kings in the IPL final in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, Mallya recalled picking a young Virat Kohli 18 seasons ago in the players' auction and said it was remarkable to witness the maestro staying loyal to the franchise, which has finally won a long-awaited IPL trophy.
'When I founded RCB it was my dream that the IPL trophy should come to Bengaluru. I had the privilege of picking the legendary King Kohli as a youngster and it is remarkable that he has stayed with RCB for 18 years," Mallya wrote in an X post.
RCB, which was bought by Mallya for USD 111.6 million back in 2008, picked Kohli in the inaugural IPL auction in January 2008, and the batting superstar has only played for the Bengaluru-based franchise since then.
The UK-based Mallya lost ownership of the franchise in 2016 after defaulting on bank loans. The team is now completely owned by United Spirits.
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June 06, 2025, 09:17 IST
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