Vijay Mallya sent funds overseas: Enforcement Directorate

Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate has reportedly uncovered prima facie evidence of money — borrowed from the banks by liquor baron Vijay Mallya — having been transferred out of India to various accounts under different heads.

The ED has asked 17 banks involved in giving loans to the now grounded Kingfisher Airlines to hand over all documents related to loans to Mr Mallya with information about what the loans were given for and when, within two days. Sources said that the ED officials are of the view that Mr Mallya’s executives were aware of this.

Earlier, the ED was examining only the default of the IDBI Bank loan under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

The bank had lent Rs 900 crore to Mr Mallya on the basis of the Kingfisher brand. Sources said the ED had sent official requests seeking details of the probe conducted by the income-tax and service tax departments and the Special Frauds Investigation Office against the airline in the past. They said the agency was also looking for details of overseas and domestic assets of Mr Mallya and his company officials, in coordination with central security agencies and the CBI.

Mr Mallya, meanwhile, said that he had not given any statements to The Sunday Guardian which carried what purports to be an interview with Mr Mallya and has since been widely reported. “Shocked to see media statements that I gave an interview to Sunday Guardian, without verification,” Mr Mallya tweeted.