Vijay Mallya, wanted in India on charges of fraud and money laundering, has thanked viewers after his podcast interview with YouTuber Raj Shamani garnered over 21 million views within four days of its release. Mallya stated that it "fills my heart with joy" that his "true factual" story is being heard.
The former Kingfisher Airlines chairman spoke for over four hours with Shamani, addressing the charges against him and his potential return to India. The podcast quickly gained significant attention across social media.
Responding to the widespread viewership, Mallya posted on X: "To say that I am humbled and overwhelmed is well short of what I truly feel. A big heartfelt thank you to all those who took the time to watch my 4 hour plus podcast with Raj Shamani 20 million views on YouTube alone in 4 days and god knows how many more reposts on Instagram and Facebook fills my heart with joy that my true factual story is being heard. May god bless you all.”
By Tuesday afternoon, the video had crossed 21 million views. The podcast marks one of Mallya's first extensive public appearances where he has discussed his version of events in detail.
Key points from the podcast
During the interview, Mallya addressed various aspects of his legal challenges, his departure from India, and the collapse of his airline. He also spoke about being called a "chor" (thief).
"Call me a fugitive for not going to India post-March (2016). I didn’t run away, I flew out of India on a pre-scheduled visit. Fair enough, I did not return for reasons that I consider valid, so if you want to call me a fugitive, go ahead, but where is the ‘chor’ coming from… where is the ‘chori’?" Mallya said.
Living in the UK since 2016, Mallya commented on whether staying abroad has worsened his legal issues. "If I have assurance of a fair trial and a dignified existence in India, you may be right, but I don’t," he stated. When asked if he would return to India with an assurance of a fair trial, he replied, "If I am assured, absolutely. I will think about it seriously.”
The podcast, titled ‘Vijay Mallya Podcast: Rise & Downfall Of Kingfisher Airlines, Loans & RCB’, also saw Mallya claim he made "four different settlement offers to banks between 2012 and 2015" after Kingfisher Airlines failed, but none were accepted. "It was always my intention to settle. Never did I say I didn’t want to pay,” he told Shamani. He mentioned meeting the then chairperson of the State Bank of India (SBI) with a proposal, stating, “They wanted Rs 14,000 crore which is why they didn’t accept.”
In February, Mallya approached the Karnataka High Court, requesting clarity on the loan recovery process undertaken by banks. According to a report by ANI, his counsel, senior advocate Sajan Poovayya, claimed that despite the repayment of nearly Rs 6,200 crore, banks have already recovered Rs 14,000 crore. He was seeking a detailed statement from the banks outlining the total amount recovered.
Mallya faces charges including cheating, conspiracy, and money laundering. His companies, Kingfisher Airlines and United Breweries (Holdings) Limited, are under scrutiny for alleged violations.
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