File criminal case against Vijay Mallya for a false election affidavit: EAS Sarma

Mr Sarma, former secretary of the Government of India, in a letter to the Election Commission has demanded that a criminal case be filed against Vijay Mallya, MP, for not disclosing offshore accounts he held

EAS Sarma, former secretary to the Government of India (GoI) has demanded that the Election Commission file a criminal case against Vijay Mallya, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha MP) for filing a false election affidavit, in which the MP had failed to disclose the offshore accounts he held.

"I have been addressing the Election Commission of India (ECI) since 2013 regarding a false affidavit filed by Vijay Mallya, in which he had failed to disclose the offshore accounts he held. In my letters, I had provided adequate evidence of the fact that Mallya held offshore accounts about which he had failed to make a disclosure in his affidavit," Mr Sarma said in a letter sent to Dr Nasim Zaidi, Chief Election Commissioner.

He says, "Though more than two years have elapsed, ECI has not initiated any proceedings against the person concerned, thereby eroding the credibility of the electoral process. Had the ECI been proactive in order to uphold the integrity of elections, it would have taken the help of enforcement agencies like Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Enforcement Directorate (ED), Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) and Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), in addition to directing the CEO of Karnataka to issue a notice to Mallya. The fact that no prompt action had been initiated raises an apprehension in my mind about the motives underlying such inaction."

Citing news reports, Mr Sarma, says, it (reports) reveals the possible existence of offshore accounts held by Kingfisher, which, in my view, would have something to do with the complaint I had made to the ECI.

Mr Sarma also requested the Election Commission to launch criminal prosecution against Gaddam Vivekanand, another MP for holding similar offshore accounts.

Meanwhile, the All India Bank Employees' Association (AIBEA) has demanded impounding of passport of Mallya and recovery of Rs7000 crore bank loans before the MP is allowed to leave the country. "We call upon all our unions and members across the country to send telegrams to Finance Minister to take immediate action against Mallya, " CH Venkatachalam, General Secretary of AIBEA said in a release.

"Reports have come in the media that Vijay Mallya has resigned from UB Group and has decided to receive some compensation of $75 million from Diageo and settle down in London with his family. Immediately we have demanded that the passport of Vijay Mallya should be impounded and he should not be allowed to leave India without repaying the loans. After sleeping for years together, now some of the Banks are also moving to court to attach the compensation amount he would receive from Diageo," the bank union says.