Vijay Mallya's 'great escape' aided by CBI which 'reports directly' to PM Modi: Rahul

Congress President Rahul Gandhi once again mounted his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue of fugitive liquor baron Vijay Mallya, who owes some Rs. 900 crore to Indian banks, fleeing the country.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi. PTI Photo

NEW DELHI: Congress President Rahul Gandhi once again mounted his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue of fugitive liquor baron Vijay Mallya, who owes some Rs. 900 crore to Indian banks, fleeing the country. Gandhi on Friday alleged that the CBI had aided Mallya's "great escape" by changing the "detain" notice to mere "inform". He claimed because the probe agency reports "directly" to the prime minister, it is "inconceivable" that this was done without Modi's approval. The word of war between the BJP and the Congress has intensified after Mallya on Wednesday claimed that he had met Finance Minister Arun Jaitley before leaving for the UK. "Mallya's Great Escape was aided by the CBI quietly changing the 'Detain' notice for him, to 'Inform'. The CBI reports directly to the PM. It is inconceivable that the CBI, in such a high profile, controversial case, would change a lookout notice without the approval of the PM (sic)," the Congress chief tweeted. Gandhi had on Thursday accused Jaitley of "colliding" with "criminal" Mallya and allowing to him to escape from the country. The BJP counter-claimed that the Gandhi family had tried to salvage the sinking Kingfisher Airlines with a "sweet deal". Congress leader P L Punia on Thursday claimed that he had seen Jaitley in "an elaborate 15-20 minute meeting" with Mallya on March 1, 2016, a day before the businessman left India. Mallya's claim in London had drawn a rebuttal from Jaitley, who said he never gave any appointment to the fugitive liquor baron but the latter used his privilege as an MP to accost him once in Parliament.