Demands fair trial upon India return: Vijay Mallya

Fugitive businessman breaks nine-year silence in a podcast

- Pari Tikkiwal

In his first major public statement since fleeing India in 2016, fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya has issued a conditional offer to return home while mounting a fierce defense of his actions during the Kingfisher Airlines collapse.

The liquor baron, currently residing in the United Kingdom while fighting extradition proceedings, addressed multiple controversies surrounding his Rs 9,000 crore loan default in a wide-ranging public address that has reignited debates across India's business and legal communities.

Apology With Defiance

Mallya expressed regret for Kingfisher Airlines' failure and privately apologized to former employees who lost their jobs when the carrier ceased operations in 2012. However, he vehemently rejected accusations of financial theft that have dominated headlines for nearly a decade.