Mallya gate: Lookout Notice amended for 'absconding' liquor baron? Govt's role-play questioned

News Nation on Thursday night disclosed that a Look Out Notice was issued against Vijay Mallya by CBI in October 2015 for detention, but CBI changed the LoC in November and advised that detention was not required.

It was also revealed that in pursuance of this letter LOC was amended. Notably, CBI was informed when Mallya came for immigration on March 2.

According to reports, CBI changed the nature of lookout notice against him within one month of issuance from seeking his detention while leaving the country to that merely providing information about his travel plans.

The sources said Mallya travelled abroad in October and returned in November, while he made two trips in first and last week of December and also a trip in January besides the recent trip reportedly to London on March 2.

Here we need to mention that the lookout circular depends on the issuing authority and, unless they ask BoI to detain a person or to stop him from boarding a plane, no action is taken.

After CBI changed the lookout notice, BoI made no attempt to stop Mallya from travelling abroad and every time he travelled the agency was duly informed about it.

Meanwhile CBI has given the excuse that according to a Supreme Court judgement, passport of a person can only be impounded when he has been charge-sheeted or a trial is pending against him.

Since he had been cooperating, there was no reason to stop him from moving abroad, they said, adding he had appeared for questioning thrice since the lookout notices were issued, once here and twice in Mumbai between December 9 and 12, 2015.

The agency is already facing heat over allowing beleaguered businessman Vijay Mallya to go abroad. It is also being accused of going soft on Mallya.

The liquor baron is facing a CBI probe for defaulting on repayment of a loan of Rs 900 crore taken from IDBI.

The revelations were made exclusively by News Nation.

This shocking disclosure in Mallya Gate shows that the current government changed the framework to give easy access to Mallya and helped him in running away.

The serious accusations are expected to raise an uproar in Parliament tomorrow.