10 September,2026 08:30 AM IST | London | mid-day online correspondent
Vijay Mallya. File Photo
Former Kingfisher Airlines promoter Vijay Mallya has again alleged that he has been treated unfairly by the Indian government and claimed that he continues to remain in the United Kingdom because of ongoing legal proceedings there.
In a series of posts on X late Wednesday, Mallya referred to the legal cases against him and claimed that agencies in India had already recovered substantial amounts from his assets and transferred the money to banks.
Mallya, who has been declared a fugitive economic offender in India, also repeated his claim that he is legally barred from leaving the UK, where he said he has been a permanent resident since 1992.
Mallya said the legal and financial proceedings against him had left him feeling that he continued to face injustice.
"With all the injustices I have faced and continue to face, I wonder if I should become a cockroach. Maybe a better life on the cockroach side," he said.
His comments came as he continued to dispute the way he has been described in connection with the financial cases involving Kingfisher Airlines and outstanding bank dues.
Mallya has repeatedly argued that significant sums have already been recovered from his assets and questioned why he continues to be portrayed as someone who failed to repay banks.
Referring to an affidavit that he claimed was filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) before the Bombay High Court, Mallya said the agency had acknowledged recovering more than Rs 14,000 crore and handing the money over to banks.
"And may I say again, affidavit filed in Court by the most feared criminal agency the Enforcement Directorate confirms that they handed over Rs 14,000 plus crores to the Banks in 2021. Forget what I say if you don't trust me. Focus on what the Enforcement Directorate said," he alleged.
In an earlier post, Mallya had cited an excerpt of what he described as the ED affidavit and referred to a recovery figure of Rs 14,131.60 crore.
"Affidavit filed by the ED in the Hon'ble Bombay High Court. Para 7 is the decreed debt and Para 17 shows recovered Rs 14,131.60 crore in 2021 !! 5 years on I am still referred to as a fraud who cheated the Banks," he said.
The figures cited by Mallya relate to recovery proceedings involving his assets and bank dues. His interpretation of the figures is disputed and should not be treated as an independent finding by the court.
Mallya also responded to criticism over his continued residence in the UK, arguing that the repayment of bank dues should not be linked to his physical presence in India.
"Thank you all for your mixed replies to my tweets. Love and hate go hand in hand and I respectfully accept that whilst humbly accepting your opinions. But for those who do not understand the difference between permanent residency and citizenship and for those who think that repayments are based on physical presence, please think again," he claimed.
On Tuesday, Mallya had said that he was legally prohibited from leaving the UK and maintained that his continued stay there was a consequence of the legal process.
"For all who say I am a fugitive refusing to come to India, please be aware that I have been a permanent resident of the United Kingdom since 1992 and am currently legally prohibited from leaving this country. All this started with poster boy actions by the Government of India who have been grossly unjust in my case," he said in the post on X.
Vijay Mallya has repeatedly challenged the description of him as a fugitive and has questioned the manner in which his financial liabilities and the recovery of assets have been reported.
He also shared what he described as a statement of account of recoveries and asked why he continued to be labelled a fugitive and fraudster.
"To all who believe in fair and proper accounting justice please see the following table. Do I still deserve the way I am berated by the media and referred to as a fraudster at the very outset of a journalist's script ? Why not start asking when I will get my refund," he said.
The businessman has maintained that the amount recovered from his assets exceeds the debt he was ordered to pay, while authorities have continued to pursue legal proceedings against him.
Mallya's claims come against the backdrop of his legal status in India.
In October 2025, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary told the Lok Sabha that 15 individuals had been declared Fugitive Economic Offenders under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018. The list included Mallya and Nirav Modi, among others.
The legislation provides for measures against individuals who leave India to avoid prosecution for specified economic offences or refuse to return to face criminal proceedings.
In February this year, the Bombay High Court criticised Mallya, saying that he could not seek equitable relief while deliberately avoiding court proceedings.
The court gave him a final opportunity to clarify whether he intended to return to India. Mallya's petition challenges the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act and the proceedings through which he was declared a fugitive economic offender.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Chandrashekhar was hearing Mallya's challenge to the constitutional validity of the legislation and the proceedings concerning his status.
The court indicated that it was inclined to record that Mallya was evading its jurisdiction and therefore could not expect relief in his petition.
