Lucknow, Jun 14: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday filed a charge sheet against absconding liquor baron Vijay Mallya and others in connection with the Rs 900-crore money laundering case in the IDBI Bank-Kingfisher Airlines loan case.
The development comes a day after the now London-based 61-year-old Mallya, before Westminister Magistrate Court, claimed that he had “enough evidence” to defend himself in the extradition case brought by the Indian government. “Keep dreaming about billions of pounds,” he even taunted outside the courtroom.
The Indian government is seeking his extradition from United Kingdom in loan default to the tune of Rs 9,000 crore involving several banks in connection with the money that he reportedly raised for the now defunct Kingfisher Airlines (KFA). In India, he is being probed by the ED and the CBI on charges of violation the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
However, on Wednesday, when the ED filed the charge sheet, it comes as a jolt to him.
The 57-page charge sheet with voluminous annexures has provided details of the manner in which the loan was approved and subsequently diverted for money-laundering purposes violating norms.
According to the ED, in October 2009, the IDBI had granted a short-term loan of Rs.150 crore to the KFA, followed by another loan of Rs.750 crore, including a bridge loan of Rs.200 crore, without adequate collateral and flouting norms and procedures.
The charge sheet also mentioned the role of KFA and IDBI executives who were probed by the ED and they had criminally conspired to obtain funds to the tune of Rs 860.92 crore despite weak financials, negative net-worth, non-compliance of corporate credit policy of new client, non-quality collateral security and low credit rating of the borrower. Out of which Rs 807.82 crore of principal amount remains unpaid, according to the investigations.
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