Given Vijay Mallya’s extremely serious allegations in London today, the PM should immediately order an independent… https://t.co/rYS7JHDnK3 — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) 1536770528000

NEW DELHI: Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said the allegations made by Vijay Mallya are serious and that finance minister Arun Jaitley should step down.He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should order an independent probe into the matter."Given Vijay Mallya’s extremely serious allegations in London today, the PM should immediately order an independent probe into the matter. Arun Jaitley should step down as finance minister while this probe is underway," Rahul Gandhi tweeted.A defiant Vijay Mallya, who is facing money laundering charges in multi-crore fraud case in India, on Wednesday claimed that he met the finance minister before leaving the country.Speaking outside a London court, Mallya said, "I met the finance minster to settle matters before I left. The banks had filed objections to my settlement letters."The claim was, however, denied by Jaitley as "factually false."Immediately after Jaitley's sharp rebuttal, Mallya appeared to tone down the seriousness of his comments, saying it was "not fair" to create a controversy over this issue as it was not a "formal meeting" and he only "happened to meet" the finance minister.Earlier, senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said that the party has been repeatedly asserting that for the last over 18 months not only Vijay Mallya but Nirav Modi , Mehul Choksi and many others have been allowed to leave the country with impunity."Congress has been repeatedly asserting for the last over 18 months that not only Vijay Mallya but Nirav Modi, Choksi and many others have been allowed with impunity," Singhvi said.Attacking the BJP, another Congress leader PL Punia said that he saw Jaitley and Mallya having a discussion in the Central Hall of Parliament."I saw both Arun Jaitley and Vijay Mallya having a discussion in the Central Hall of Parliament. This can be can verified with CCTV footage from that day," Punia said.CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury also criticised the BJP government and said that they should own up to the fact that they allowed this loot to happen."They (govt) have to own up to the fact that they allowed this loot to happen and the fact that they are allowing this loot to happen, more are looting," said Yechury.He added, "It's a fact that all of us had known earlier. Whatever denials government may issue, it confirms that all those who looted public money by taking loans from banks and absconded, not one of them happened to leave the country without knowledge of the government."Jaitley was the finance minister when Mallya left India in March 2016.Mallya spoke to reporters during his hearing in extradition case at the Westminster Magistrates' Court.Earlier in the day, Mallya said that he had made a "comprehensive settlement" offer before the Karnataka High Court that will help in paying off all his dues.