Congress hauls Centre, says Mallya's taunts indicate 'foul play'

New Delhi [India], June 15 (ANI): With liquor baron Vijay Mallya openly taunting Indian authorities saying, "you can keep dreaming about a billion pounds", the Congress Party on Thursday alleged that he was aided by Government officials in fleeing the country.

"Our chowkidaars were sleeping while Vijay Mallya took Rs. 9,000 crores and fled the country. Even now he is taunting the Indian agencies from London saying keep dreaming. Surely he has been aided by Government officials," Congress leader Shakeel Ahmed told ANI.

Meanwhile, questioning the legal significance of the Enforcement Directorate filing a charge sheet in Mallya's absence, senior advocate KTS Tulsi said there is no confirmation on when the accused will return to India, adding that these occurrences signify 'crying over spilt milk.'

"Charge sheet filed in the absence of the accused means little. Mallya is not coming anytime soon. The London court will hear the matter only in December. There is no idea when the documents will be sent for scrutiny. The more important question that needs to be addressed is who facilitated Mallya's exit in the first place. All this is crying over spilt milk," he argued.

On Wednesday, the ED filed a charge sheet against the absconding entrepreneur in a Mumbai court, sources said.

On Tuesday, a London court had granted Mallya bail and scheduled July 6 as the next date of hearing of the extradition case filed against him.

After coming out of the court on Tuesday, an embattled Mallya said "You can keep dreaming about the billion pounds, but there's no proof."

"Do you have the facts? You cannot prove anything without facts," he added.

When asked how he felt when he was booed at and called a thief during a match between India and South Africa, Mallya said:" I was not called a thief that day by crowd at Oval ground. Two drunk people were shouting, but several others came and wished me well".

Speaking to media before his extradition hearing, Mallya had said, "I deny all allegations, I have enough evidence to prove my case in court."

Britain's Crown Prosecution Service argued the extradition case on India's behalf. A joint CBI-ED team went to London last month with documents to bolster the Crown's case.

Mallya owes as much as Rs. 9,000 crore to Indian banks. He was declared arrested in absentia on April 18 after India made a formal extradition request for him on February 8.

The 61-year-old chief of the now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines fled India on March 2 last year, has been living in Britain, mostly, since then. (ANI)

This story has not been edited. It has been published as provided by ANI