West Indies batsman Chris Gayle shared the picture with Vijay Mallya on Twitter.
Highlights
- West Indies batsman Chris Gayle tweeted a picture with Vijay Mallya
- Vijay Mallya was trolled online over charges of fraud, money laundering
- "Ask your banks to take their full money that I am offering", he said
Businessman Vijay Mallya, who is facing extradition to India over charges of fraud and money laundering amounting to Rs. 9,000 crore, was subjected to heavy trolling on Saturday after West Indies batsman Chris Gayle posted a photo with him on Twitter.
"Great to catch up with Big Boss," tweeted Chris Gayle, who has been a team-member of Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore owned by Vijay Mallya. The picture was clicked at the Silverstone Circuit, the venue for 2019 British Grand Prix.
Soon after the photo was shared, social media users responded with witty tweets.
"Now even Chris is looking for Vijay Mallya. That was his favourite locket BTW," wrote one user.
Another user wrote: "Mallya is very patriotic, he only steals from Indians."
The 63-year-old chief of the now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines, who was subjected to "chor hai (you are a thief)" cries at The Oval stadium in London last month over alleged loan default, responded to the trolling on his official account.
"Great to catch up with the Universe Boss and my dear friend. For all those of you losers who call me CHOR, ask your own Banks to take their full money that I am offering for the past one year. Then decide on who is CHOR." he wrote.
In another tweet, he wrote: "For all those who saw my photo with the universe boss and my dear friend @henrygayle and commented, please pause and get your facts right about my being your CHOR. Ask your Banks why they are not taking 100 percent of the money I have been offering,"
In January 2017, Vijay Mallya faced similar cries - "chor, chor (thief, thief)" - when he came to the same stadium to watch a Champions Trophy cricket match between India and South Africa.
Vijay Mallya, who left India on March 2, 2016, has repeatedly denied fleeing the country and said he is ready to pay back the money he owes to the Indian banks.
A consortium of 13 banks, led by the State Bank of India (SBI), has initiated loan recovery proceedings against him. The proceedings are on before a special court in Mumbai under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had also moved the Special Prevention of Money-Laundering Act Court last year to get Vijay Mallya declared a "fugitive economic offender" and confiscate his properties, estimated at more than Rs. 12,000 crore, making it the first such case of its kind under the new law.
Earlier this month, the UK High Court in London permitted him to appeal against a lower court's verdict for his extradition.