Mallya didn’t flee India with 300 bags, went to Europe to attend sports meet: Lawyer

Arguing for Vijay Mallya, senior advocate Amit Desai, claimed Mallya had only five bags with him when he flew to Europe, on March 2, 2016.

Liquor baron Vijay Mallya’s counsel has argued that he did not carry 300 bags with him when he left India two-and-half years ago, nor did he flee the country but he went to Germany to attend a conference of World Motor Sport Council as the director of his Formula-One team, Force India.

Vijay Mallya at Westminster Magistrates Court in London, Monday, Dec. 4, 2017. (AP)

Arguing for Mallya, senior advocate Amit Desai, claimed Mallya had only five bags with him when he flew to Europe, on March 2, 2016. Desai was responding to a plea filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) seeking an order from the court formed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to declare Mallya a fugitive economic offender.

The ED’s counsel, advocate DN Singh, maintained Mallya left the country with around 300 bags, with an intention of never returning. Singh alleged Mallya’s legal team had produced no evidence to show that he had left India to attend a business meeting. “Who goes to attend a meeting with 300 bags and a huge cargo,” Singh had argued last week.

Desai on Monday filed an affidavit stating Mallya left the country to attend the World Motor Sport Council’s annual conference. According to the affidavit, the council’s 2015 meeting shows Mallya as one of the participants and declares the next conference on March 4, 2016. This is why Mallya left the country well in advance, Desai argued.

With Desai’s submissions, the arguments seeking to declare Mallya as a fugitive economic offender conclude. The special court has now reserved its order on December 26.