Why Did CBI Amend Its Look-Out Circular for Mallya, Asks Azad

In November 2015, the look-out circular was changed to merely ‘inform’ the authorities in case he left the country.

The controversial exit of Vijay Mallya from the country continued to rock the Rajya Sabha for the second day in a row, on Friday. The leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad asked the government why the CBI had amended its look-out circular against the industrialist within a month, last year.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Azad said the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had amended the look-out circular against Mallya issued in October 2015 which had sought his detention if he tried to leave India.

However, in November, this order was changed to merely ‘inform’ the authorities in case he left the country.

What made the CBI change its original notice, the senior Congress leader asked. He accused the government of being party to the exit of the businessman when so many bank default cases were pending against him.

Also Read: CBI’s Look-Out Notice Sought to Detain Mallya, but Was Changed

Observing that the government was arguing that there was no court order against Mallya, he said in the case of Greenpeace activist Priya Pillai, she was detained at an airport only on the government’s order and not on a court order.

So why was Vijay Mallya not stopped? You said there was no court order against him (but Pillai was detained on government’s order).

Ghulam Nabi Azad

Taking potshots at the Congress, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the NDA government will not give any concession to Mallya like the Congress-led regime did to Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi.

Mallya had left the country on 2 March, well before banks moved the Supreme Court for the seizure of his passport.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had yesterday informed Parliament that the total dues in Mallya’s cases including interest amount to Rs 9,091.40 crore as on 30 November 2015.

The loans to companies promoted by Mallya were sanctioned in 2004 to 2007 and turned into bad loans in 2009. The NPAs of his companies were restructured in 2010.

Also read: Former CFO of Vijay Mallya’s Kingfisher Airlines Summoned by ED