Archive · 13 Sep 2026
Vijay Mallya Attacks ED, CBI Over Character Assassination Claims
Vijay Mallya is publicly arguing with two Indian investigation agencies.
He says the agencies made false accusations and harmed people’s reputations before courts held trials.
He criticized Enforcement Directorate announcements about searches and property seizures.
He also questioned a case involving a Rs 900-crore loan given to his airline by IDBI Bank.
Mallya says the loan went through the bank’s approval process and was repaid with interest.
He disputes claims that using his corporate airplane for personal travel was a crime.
He says other companies paid Kingfisher Airlines for using the aircraft.
Mallya also says more than Rs 14,000 crore was recovered from his assets and given to banks.
Vijay Mallya accused the CBI and ED of creating false cases and damaging reputations before trial.
He criticized ED posts about searches, seizures and property attachments in separate money-laundering investigations.
Mallya disputed the CBI’s allegations concerning a Rs 900-crore IDBI Bank loan to Kingfisher Airlines.
He denied criminal wrongdoing over personal use of an Airbus corporate jet and said charter charges were paid.
Mallya cited Rs 14,131.60 crore recovered from his assets and said he would release more material supporting his claims.
- Who
- Businessman Vijay Mallya, the Central Bureau of Investigation, the Enforcement Directorate, Kingfisher Airlines and IDBI Bank.
- What
- Mallya launched a fresh social-media attack on the CBI and ED, disputing allegations involving money laundering, a bank loan and corporate-aircraft use.
- When
- Mallya published the posts on September 11, 2026.
- Where
- The statements were posted on X; related proceedings under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act are before the Bombay High Court.
- Why
- Mallya said he was challenging what he called false charges, public character assassination and inaccurate reporting.
Mallya’s Position
Investigative Agencies’ Cases
Public disclosures before trial
Mallya’s Position
Mallya said the ED was publicly prejudging people and engaging in character assassination without a chargesheet or trial.
Investigative Agencies’ Cases
The ED issued releases about searches, seizures and property attachments in money-laundering investigations; the articles do not provide a direct agency response to Mallya.
IDBI Bank loan
Mallya’s Position
Mallya said the Rs 900-crore loan was approved through all required stages, including the IDBI Bank Board, repaid with interest and unsupported by evidence of graft.
Investigative Agencies’ Cases
According to Mallya’s account of the CBI case, investigators alleged that he and others improperly secured the loan through collusion and misrepresentation of Kingfisher Airlines’ financial position.
Corporate aircraft use
Mallya’s Position
Mallya said using his Airbus Corporate Jet for family members or friends was not criminal and that other companies paid charter charges to Kingfisher Airlines.
Investigative Agencies’ Cases
Mallya said the CBI considered him criminally liable for using the aircraft for personal purposes and attempted to make him identify a passenger.
- Loan under dispute
- A Rs 900-crore loan extended by IDBI Bank to Kingfisher Airlines.
- Mallya’s loan claim
- He said the loan passed through all approval stages and was repaid in full with interest.
- Asset recovery cited
- Mallya cited Rs 14,131.60 crore recovered from his assets and transferred to banks.
- Agencies criticized
- The Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate.
- Aircraft allegation
- Mallya disputed the claim that using his Airbus Corporate Jet for personal purposes was criminal.
- Legal status
- Mallya was declared a fugitive economic offender in January 2019; his challenge remains pending before the Bombay High Court.
- Earlier investigations
- The CBI registered a case following an IDBI complaint in July 2015 and another following a consortium-of-banks complaint in August 2016.
