A top bureaucrat under the UPA government might have helped tycoon Vijay Mallya to secure bank loans for his ailing Kingfisher Airlines, reveal a series of emails written by the fugitive businessman and accessed exclusively by India Today.

Amitabh Verma, a joint banking secretary, might have mediated between Mallya on the one hand and then Congress-led government and banks on the other to push for Kingfisher's bailout from potential collapse.

In February 2009, the flamboyant founder of what is now a failed airliner wrote to his then CFO Ravi Nedungadi, insisting the government had assured full support to Kingfisher.

A meeting with the then banking secretary and the chiefs of the SBI and PNB would be held the same month, he wrote.

"I am pleased to inform you that following my presentation, the finance minister has approved, in principle, the comprehensive financial restructuring package requested," read Mallya's email dated Feb 18, 2009. "He has advised the chief economic advisor, in the presence of Mr Pawar and myself, that (the) government will support Kingfisher and he has convened a meeting with the secretary banking and the chairman of SBI and PNB on Feb 25 & 26 in Delhi."

MALLYA OFFERED TO SPEAK DIRECTLY WITH FM

In another note to Nedungadi, accessed by India Today, Mallya offered to speak directly with the finance minister regarding his company's request to the SBI for finances.

"Urgently advise if you want me to speak to the finance minister regarding the detailed list of banks who have given us short-term loans. Alternatively, I could speak to him about our application to SBI for comprehensive refinance," he wrote.

In his third email, the billionaire bragged about spending time with Amitabh Verma. He also claimed all public-sector banks had been ordered to approve a financial package for his Kingfisher Airlines.

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"I spent the evening with Amitabh Verma. He says that he can get all PSU banks to approve our package in seven days," read his note to A. Raghunathan, the CFO at the time. "It has been done before! I need an urgent note," Mallya asked.

But Mallya's subsequent communication to Raghunathan reflected his frustration with the then CMD of the UCO Bank, S.K. Goel.

"Raghu, my apprehensions were correct! Somehow from the beginning I have always suspected UCO and Goel," he wrote. "What is most annoying is that they have no respect for urgency -- despite the finance minister calling Goel on October 28 and specifically telling him that we had to meet urgent commitments on Oct 31."

In another note, Mallya claimed Amitabh Verma had advised then Oriental Bank of Commerce executive director Rathnakar Hegde to lend Rs 200 crore to his company.

"At the Kingfisher Calendar launch yesterday, Amitabh Verma (Joint Secretary, Banking) brought Rat(h)nakar Hegde (Executive Director, OBC Bank) to me and said that he has told OBC to give Kingfisher Rs 200 cr. Amitabh repeated (in Ratnakar's presence) that we should talk to him and put in an application for Rs 200 cr which would get approved," the email read. "Between both of you, please put in the application urgently."

MALLYA SOUTH CHIDAMBARAM'S INTERVENTION

In a letter in March 2013, Mallya sought then finance minister P Chidambaram's intervention in securing a loan from the State Bank of India. The bank had already rejected the UB Group's request, he said.

"Mr Shyamal Acharya, Dy MD, SBI, clearly stated that SBI would not cooperate in any way with the UB Group. He refused the issue of an NOC to United Spirits Limited. Further, he stated he was not interested in any meeting. I seek your urgent and kind intervention in facilitating a meeting with SBI," read Mallya's letter to Chidambaram, dated March 21, 2013.

Also read: Ex-PM Manmohan Singh helped Vijay Mallya's sinking Kingfisher Airlines get bank loans, alleges BJP

A day later, Mallya emailed the UB Group's president, informing him that the SBI had finally approved fresh infusion of funds into his embattled company.

After India Today aired the story about Mallya's emails, the BJP accused the Congress of helping Mallya escape the noose.

Congress leader Chidambaram, the former finance minister, however, described such notes as a routine for governments to receive.

ROUTINE WORK FOR GOVERNMENT

"These are statements made by people who do not understand how the Prime Minister's office functions. On any given day, you get dozens of letters, dozens of representations. They are marked down to officers, departments concerned to take appropriate action. If the prime minister receives a letter from a businessman, saying that a policy change is required or some forbearance is required, he marks it down to his staff. It's not the prime minister who starts taking every letter or starts replying to every letter, in which event, he'll be doing nothing else but replying to a letter. The question is, has anyone in the govt done anything illegal?" asked P Chidambaram.

Also read: Vijay Mallya: Kingfisher a 'public service', not a 'private toy'

Meanwhile, senior lawyer Sujay Kantawala has said that such allegations could not be brushed aside and there should be investigations.

"It is on record that the top officials of the country have used their persuasion for a meeting and after the meeting, further money is doled out to the already beleaguered airline. All these issues require investigation. Prima facie, this stinks of a rat, it cannot be just swept away by saying that a particular judgment can be applied and not be applied, because every judgment applies in the facts of each case," said Kantawala.

Watch | E-mail expose: Who forced bankers to bail out Vijay Mallya?