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Vijay Mallya ‘sets record straight’ with rare message for employees who lost their jobs in Kingfisher crash

In a podcast with Raj Shamani, Vijay Mallya discussed, among other things, the rise of Kingfisher Airlines and its subsequent fall.

Updated on: Jun 6, 2025, 06:21:48 IST
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Vijay Mallya, in a recent podcast with YouTuber Raj Shamani, offered a rare and public apology to his former employees while addressing the fall of Kingfisher Airlines. However, he strongly denied any allegations against him, adding that he has paid his dues.

Vijay Mallya’s former airline, Kingfisher Airlines, faced severe financial issues, which led to its closure in 2012. (AFP)
Vijay Mallya’s former airline, Kingfisher Airlines, faced severe financial issues, which led to its closure in 2012. (AFP)

The businessman accused of alleged bank loan fraud shared a snippet of the interview on his X profile. In the video, Shamani asks Mallya, “What would you say to them who lost their jobs? Who still holds angst against you?”

Also Read: Lalit Modi credits ‘good friend’ Vijay Mallya for backing IPL from the start: ‘You may have your bias’

Mallya replies, “I would say I am deeply sorry for what happened to them. I would say that I am deeply sorry that some of them didn’t get paid their salaries.” He continues, “I have no excuses to offer. I take full responsibility.”

As the video progresses, Mallya alleges that the court had the money in reserve and he filed a petition to release the salary of his former employees. He further accused the court and the banks of denying his petition.

Take a look at the video:

In another post on his X profile, Mallya wrote, "For those who are interested, I have spoken for the first time in nine years on this podcast. I want to say sorry to employees of Kingfisher Airlines and also to set the record straight with facts and the truth.

In the podcast, Mallya opened up about his first media appearance after nine years, the rise and fall of Kingfisher, and founding Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).

Also Read: Vijay Mallya recalls picking Virat Kohli for RCB as a youngster: ‘Remarkable he stayed for 18 years’

When asked if he would consider returning to India, he said, “If I have a fair assurance of a fair trial and dignified existence in India, I will think about it seriously."

While discussing the fugitive label against him, the businessman expressed, " You may call me a fugitive, but I didn’t run away. I flew on a prescheduled visit. Fair enough, I didn’t return for reasons that I consider valid… so if you want to call me a fugitive, go ahead. But where is the ‘chor’ coming from? Where is the ‘choir’?”

  • Trisha Sengupta
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Trisha Sengupta

    Trisha Sengupta is a Chief Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over six years of digital newsroom experience. Specialising in high-engagement storytelling, she blends viral trends with traditional journalism to cover the intersection of technology, finance, and human emotion. Her reporting spans real estate and personal finance struggles in hubs like Bengaluru and Gurgaon, the NRI experience, and corporate shifts like tech layoffs. Trisha also frequently tracks global figures and writes human interest stories. Offline, Trisha is an avid reader, history enthusiast and solo traveler. She balances her journalism career with family life while actively integrating AI tools into her modern storytelling approach.Read More

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