New Delhi: Vijay Mallya, who has been declared a proclaimed offender by a Mumbai court in a money laundering case, has been spotted at a book launch event at London School of Economics this week that was attended by the Indian envoy.
Read: Court declares Vijay Mallya a proclaimed offender in bank loan fraud case
Social media was in a frenzy after it emerged that Indian High Commissioner Navtej Sarna, who was one of the special guests at the event on Thursday evening to mark the launch of Suhel Seth's new book 'Mantras for Success: India's Greatest CEOs Tell You How to Win', was also present at the event when
the business tycoon arrived.
Seth claimed that Mallya was not an invited guest at the event, which was open to anyone who wanted to attend. Seth took to Twitter to clarify: "About @TheVijayMallya at my book launch. It was an open @SAsiaLSE & advertised on Twitter. No specific invitations. Anyone could attend."
About @TheVijayMallya at my book launch. It was an open @SAsiaLSE & advertised on Twitter. No specific invitations. Anyone could attend.
— SUHEL SETH (@suhelseth) June 18, 2016
"Upon realising that @TheVijayMallya was in the audience as any other person, @NavtejSarna left before the Q&A expressing displeasure."
And upon realising that @TheVijayMallya was in the audience as any other person, @NavtejSarna left before the Q&A expressing displeasure.
— SUHEL SETH (@suhelseth) June 18, 2016
"The High Commissioner upon seeing Mallya walk in actually at the mid of the event, got up and left. To say he rubbed shoulder or he met Mallya is incorrect," Seth told a news channel.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) also got into the act when it issued a statement, saying Sarna left the event without waiting for the interactive session after he spotted Mallya.
"When the High Commissioner spotted Mallya in the audience he left the stage and venue immediately after making his comments and without waiting for the interactive session," the MEA said in the statement.
The MEA said, "There were two clear segments the book launch by UK Minister Jo Johnson and discussion at LSE and later a reception at the High Commission for select guests.”
"The list of invitations for the LSE event was determined by LSE. They have written to the High Commissioner that Mallya was not on their list. They have also said that the event was advertised widely through social media and attendees were not required to register in advance.”
"Mallya was certainly not an invitee to the reception at the High Commission for which the invitations were issued by the High Commission, and was not present."
Read: Being deemed guilty without trial: Vijay Mallya
The event was organised by the 100 Foot Journey Club, set up as a collaboration between the Indian High Commission and LSE last month as a forum to discuss and debate issues of contemporary relevance within the India-UK sphere.
The club had been launched in May with a talk at LSE on 'Rethinking the Global Monetary System' by RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan.
Mallya, a flamboyant 60-year-old beer baron left India in March for the UK, under hot pursuit from banks over $1.34 billion in loans granted to his collapsed carrier Kingfisher Airlines and yet to be repaid.
He has repeatedly failed to appear before investigators at the Enforcement Directorate, which suspect him of misusing loaned funds.
Mallya responded to reports that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was taking further steps to probe him and the airline.
"I have maintained and continue to maintain that there has been absolutely no misappropriation or diversion of funds and strenuously deny any allegation to the contrary." He claimed that he was willing to be interrogated by videoconferencing.
The Modi government revoked Mallya's diplomatic passport in April after he repeatedly failed to appear before investigators.
