Vijay Mallya Speaks Out: “I left India legally. My passport was revoked after that"

In a revealing new interview that aired across major news media, embattled business tycoon Vijay Mallya has firmly refuted the long-standing public perception that he fled India to avoid legal consequences.

Speaking from UK, Mallya said that he never attempted to run from justice. “I left India legally. My passport was revoked after I was already in London. If that isn’t being pushed out, I don’t know what is,” he stated.

Mallya is the former chairman of United Breweries and founder of the now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines. He has faced intense scrutiny since 2016 over unpaid loans worth over ₹9,000 crore. However, he has consistently argued that the collapse of Kingfisher was due to market factors, exorbitant fuel prices, and a hostile regulatory environment — not criminal intent.

In the interview, Mallya argued that he had attended court hearings and offered a detailed debt restructuring plan well before leaving India. "The banks were unwilling to engage. My offers to repay were kept aside," he said. 

According to documents presented by his legal team, Mallya had approached several Indian financial institutions with proposals to recover dues through asset sales and debt restructuring. "No one wanted to solve the problem. They just wanted a scapegoat."

Mallya's point has gained traction among certain business circles and legal analysts in the UK. Prominent British legal expert Sir Mark Reynolds noted that the Indian government's request for extradition had multiple procedural gaps. "The optics of justice are not enough. If due process isn't followed, the case weakens," Reynolds commented.

He also pointed out that many big global corporations have suffered commercial failures, but executives are rarely vilified the way Mallya has been. "There’s a difference between being a failed entrepreneur and a fraudster," he added.

Indian authorities, however, continue to claim that Mallya’s intentions were dishonest from the start. They cite misappropriation of funds and diversion to overseas accounts. Mallya has denied all such allegations. "Every rupee borrowed was used for Kingfisher operations," he stated. "Show me proof of personal enrichment — there is none."

Social media sentiment is also evolving in his support. Recent polls indicate that nearly 38% of urban Indian respondents say Mallya deserves a second chance, particularly after news broke that over ₹14,000 crore has been recovered from his assets — more than double the principal loan amount.

"If the objective was recovery, and that's been achieved, what’s the basis of continued prosecution?" asked businessman Harsh Goenka on social media platform X.

The Indian government, meanwhile, maintains that Mallya's return is essential for upholding the rule of law. However, Mallya says he’s willing to return only if assured a fair trial and humane prison conditions. "I’m not afraid of the law. I’m afraid of injustice."

As the debate rages on, one thing is certain: Vijay Mallya remains one of the most polarizing figures in Indian business history. Whether villain or victim, his story is far from over.