How did Mallya leave the country, asks Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi, March 10 (IANS) Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday questioned the government as to how it allowed liquor baron Vijay Mallya to leave the country.

"I asked a clear question to Jaitley-ji, How did Mallya-ji escape from India? Someone who has stolen Rs.9,000 crore from the government, how did you allow him to leave the country," Gandhi asked.

"If a poor person steals something due to hunger, you send him to jail. But if a businessman runs away with Rs.9,000 crore, you send him to England in first class," he added.

Mallya was on Wednesday issued notice by the Supreme Court on a plea by a consortium of 17 banks, led by the State Bank of India, which sought his personal appearance before the court along with his passport.

The Bengaluru-based liquor tycoon is facing legal proceedings for allegedly defaulting loans of over Rs.9,000 crore from various banks.