India on Friday reiterated that it remains fully committed to bringing back economic fugitives facing charges at home, days after a social media video showing Lalit Modi and Vijay Mallya socialising abroad triggered sharp reactions.
Responding to queries during a weekly media briefing, the Ministry of External Affairs said the government was actively engaging with several foreign governments to secure the return of individuals wanted by Indian law enforcement agencies.
“We remain fully committed to bringing back people who are fugitives,” the MEA said, adding, “We are in talks with several governments, and our efforts in this regard continue.”
The comments came after a video posted on Instagram by Lalit Modi showed him attending what appeared to be a private birthday celebration with fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya. In the clip, Lalit Modi referred to the duo as “the two biggest fugitives of India”, a remark that drew widespread criticism online. The video was captioned: “Let’s break the internet down in India again. Happy birthday my friend #VijayMallya.”
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The gathering is believed to have marked Vijay Mallya’s 70th birthday, hosted by Lalit Modi. Both have previously shared images and videos of themselves socialising overseas.
Vijay Mallya left India on March 2, 2016, following the collapse of Kingfisher Airlines and amid mounting legal troubles. He is wanted in connection with bank loan defaults amounting to more than â‚ą9,000 crore and was declared a Fugitive Economic Offender in January 2019 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. His cases are being probed by the Enforcement Directorate, the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Securities and Exchange Board of India.
Lalit Modi left India in 2010 after allegations of money laundering and tax evasion surfaced against him. The Enforcement Directorate later registered a money laundering case, and a special court in Mumbai issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against him in 2015.
The MEA said efforts to repatriate fugitives remain a priority, stressing that discussions with partner countries are ongoing despite legal and procedural complexities.
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