Rajya Sabha panel torecommend expulsion of Vijay Mallya
The Ethics Committee of Rajya Sabha is all set to recommend expulsion of Independent MP and liquor baron Vijay Mallya from the House. The panel, which is examining the matter related to his alleged loan default of over '9,400 crore, on Monday unanimously favoured such action.
However, the panel has decided to give Mr Mallya one week time to explain his conduct. The panel is headed by veteran Congress leader Karan Singh.
The government had on Sunday revoked the passport of Mr Mallya, who is believed to be in the UK after leaving India on March 2.
“We have examined the entire issue related to Mr Mallya’s case. The documents that we had sought from banks have also come. There was a unanimous view in the panel that he should be expelled from the House membership,” Mr Singh said.
“But still we have decided to give him a week time to tell us whatever he has to say. The next meeting of the committee has been fixed on May 3, when we will take a final decision,” Mr Singh said. He confirmed that the committee is unanimous on the expulsion of Mr Mallya “but we have to follow the procedures.” Speaking to reporters, JDU president Sharad Yadav said, “Mr Mallya should be expelled from the Rajya Sabha and he will be expelled.”
This is the firm view of the committee. He has been given the time to complete the procedure”.
Yadav was lent support by CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury who said that the opinion in the committee was that Mallya has no right to remain a member of Rajya Sabha.
The committee had sought details of the liabilities on Mallya’s airline Kingfisher from 13 banks. The committee decided to crack the whip on the ground that Mallya never declared these liabilities in the last ten years, which a member is supposed to do annually.
Acting on the notices given by Opposition members, the Chairman of the Upper House Hamid Ansari had referred the matter to the panel last month. The panel had taken cognizance of the matter on March 14.
The committee, headed by Singh, also has Satish Chandra Misra (BSP), Avinash Rai Khanna (BJP), Sharad Yadav (JDU), Sitaram Yechury (CPI-M), Mukul Roy (Trinamool Congress), Neeraj Shekhar (Samajwadi Party), A Navaneethakrishnan (AIADMK) and Devender Goud T (TDP) as members.