BIRMINGHAM: The much-anticipated cricket match between India and Pakistan was enjoyed by many and much to everyone’s surprise, Indian businessman Vijay Mallya was seen amongst the stands along with Indian commentator and former batsman Sunil Gavaskar.
Mallya owes about Rs 9000 crore to various Indian banks and has been out of Indian jurisdiction since March 2016. However, that did not prevent the liquor magnate from enjoying the event from the VIP section of the Edgbaston stadium along with a pitch pass.
Vijay Mallya in the stands at Edgbaston in Birmingham #INDvPAK pic.twitter.com/RIr5TDW0yJ
— ANI (@ANI_news) June 4, 2017
Mallya was spotted in his trademark white coat in the stadium and later with Sunil Gavaskar in a conversation. He was the former owner of the IPL franchise Royal Challenger’s Banglore, a minority stakeholder in United Spirits and Kingfisher Airlines. Kingfisher Airlines is the company that owes the banks the money. He is currently listed as the 84th Richest Indian according to Forbes.
Gavaskar watching “catch me if you can” on Mallya’s cracked HTC phone ? #INDvPAK #CT17 pic.twitter.com/WofZx23JSf
— TimeChor (@TheTimeChor) June 4, 2017
The tycoon was arrested by the Scotland Yard on April 19 on an extradition warrant but was granted bail within a few hours. His extradition to India on the grounds of failing to pay a debt lies entirely in the courts of England and if the court rules against Mallya, he would be the second person to be extradited from the United Kingdom since the 1993 U.K.-India Extradition Treaty, the first being Samirbhai Vinubahi Patel, wanted by India in relation to the 2002 Gujarat riots.
