'Will the Mallya issue be put in cold storage?'

'Modi government's track record, in last 22 months, stands out for escape of first Lalit Modi and now Vijay Mallya to foreign shores.'

Keeping up the offensive on the Vijay Mallya issue, Congress on Monday asked the government whether it will seek his deportation from the UK or would put his case in ‘cold storage’ by going in for his extradition as, it claimed, was done in the matter related to Lalit Modi.

"Will government seek deportation of Vijay Mallya from England so that precious public money amounting to Rs 9,091 crore (Rs 90.91 billion) can be recovered at the earliest?

"Or, whether government proposes to put this case in cold storage by seeking extradition through a multi-layered statutory process lasting years as has been done in case of Lalit Modi?", party's chief spokesman Randeep Surjewala and spokesman P L Punia said posing questions to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Ridiculing the Centre, Surjewala alleged that Mallya has run away from India and under 'Fair & Lovely scheme' of Bharatiya Janata Party government, he has "become truly a Double NRI -- Non-Repaying Indian and Non-Returning Indian".

He claimed that instead of fulfilling the solemn promise of bringing black money back within 100 days, Modi government's track record, in last 22 months, stands out "for escape of first Lalit Modi and now Vijay Mallya to foreign shores".

In a joint statement, the Congress leaders sought to know from the Prime Minister whether Mallya met and spoke to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley before he suddenly left the country on 2nd March, 2016?

"Whether Shri Arun Jaitley informed and gave details of this conversation to Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi?

“Will the complete details of this meeting and conversation be shared with Parliament and people of India?", they asked.

Besides, they sought to know why CBI changed the 'Look Out Notice for Detention' dated October 12 last year into a 'Look Out Notice for Information only' dated 30th November last year.

"Was it done under political pressure?    

"We urge the Modi government to rise above rhetoric and face the truth.

“We urge it to put an end to its 'Fair & Lovely Scheme' and take decisive action against Lalit Modi and Vijay Mallya in national interest," they said.

Image: A file photo of Vijay Mallya. Photograph: Reuters