E-Paper
‘Maybe a better life on the cockroach side’, says Vijay Mallya on ‘injustices’ he faced
Vijay Mallya hit back at those calling him a “bhagoda”, saying he is legally prohibited from leaving the United Kingdom.
Prefer HTon Google
Alleged fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya, who is currently living in London, has once again claimed that he is a victim of injustice by the Indian government, saying that, given all the “injustices” he has faced, he wonders if he should become a “cockroach”.
Taking to X, he said, “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.”
Mallya’s “cockroach” remark comes after the rise of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), an outfit launched as satire in May but which went on to gather huge support from the Indian youth. Its first-ever agitation at Jantar Mantar against the NEET-UG paper leak led to the resignation of then education minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
In a separate post, Mallya said the Enforcement Directorate, in an affidavit filed before the Bombay High Court, had accepted that it had recovered ₹14,000 crore from him and paid the amount to the banks to which he owed money.
“And may I say again, affidavit filed in Court by the most feared criminal agency the Enforcement Directorate confirms that they handed over ₹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 added.
Also Read: ‘Time to move on’: Bombay high court seeks ED view on Vijay Mallya’s 2020 plea
Mallya later responded to reactions to his previous posts, saying that he accepted both criticism and support while seeking to clarify what he described as misconceptions about his residency and the repayment of dues.
“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.”
Mallya clarifies ‘Bhagoda’ claims
Earlier on Wednesday, Mallya hit back at those calling him a “bhagoda”, saying he is legally prohibited from leaving the United Kingdom and accusing the Indian government of being “grossly unjust” in his case.
“For all who say I am a bhagoda 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,” Mallya said in a post on X.
In February 2026, Mallya had made similar claims, when he told the Bombay High Court that he could not specify when he would return to India because UK courts had barred him from leaving England and Wales or applying for or possessing an international travel document.
In another post, Mallya asked his “naysayers” to independently verify his claims, saying the Enforcement Directorate had released funds attached to him to pay Kingfisher employees.
“For all you naysayers, please independently verify and see that the ED released over ₹350 crores to pay Kingfisher employees from my attached funds. I could not pay because ED attached my assets/funds.”
His statements come amid his long-running legal battle in India and the UK over his return to India, proceedings under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act and recovery of dues.
Why is Mallya under the scanner?
Mallya has been facing multiple legal cases in India related to alleged loan defaults, fraud, money laundering and financial irregularities in connection with those loans.
In July 2015, the Banking Securities & Fraud Cell of the Central Bureau of Investigation registered an FIR against him in connection with alleged irregularities in loans taken by Kingfisher Airlines from a consortium of banks led by IDBI Bank.
He was charged with criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust and criminal misconduct, following which he left India in March 2016 amid mounting legal pressure and has remained in the United Kingdom since then.
