How Vijay Mallya flew to London via Delhi

Liquor baron Vijay Mallya, once hailed as the king of good times, made a quiet exit to London via Delhi on March 2

       Liquor baron Vijay Mallya, once hailed as the king of good times, made a quiet exit to London via Delhi on March 2. Mallya was a 'special passenger' on board the London-bound Jet Airways flight 9W-122 from Terminal 3 of Indira Gandhi International Airport. Highly-placed sources told Mail Today Mallya was inside T-3's premium lounge for nearly 60 minutes before he flew out. It is interesting to note that Mallya, chairman of the now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines, chose to travel in a commercial flight and not one his private jets.

     Accompanied by a woman, Mallya travelled with as many as 11 bags, which official sources said, were equivalent to the luggage of seven passengers on an average. He, however, faced no hassle in getting clearance as Jet Airways had deployed executives to assist Mallya. The business tycoon, now a defaulter of `9,000 crore to various banks, was seated on 1D in business class of the aircraft. Sources told Mail Today , there was one more passenger in the business class on that flight: Mallya's female companion, a famous socialite whom the liquor baron has known for a long time.        

    According to sources, Mallya reached Delhi airport around 12 pm on March 2. He entered the airport with his female companion. Jet Airways staff was there to assist him and he was taken to the premium plaza lounge in T-3. "He was there for more than an hour. Jet Airways had deployed special staff for Mallya who attended to him. He used boarding gate number 1," sources said. Sources said when he entered Terminal-3, Mallya looked tense. As he was carrying excess luggage, the airline had deployed loaders. "At the airport, Mallya and his female companion were served coffee and snacks. A number of people including some airport staffers had queued up to meet Mallya who was clearly the centre of attraction at the lounge," said the source. 

        "Mallya tried to take a nap in the lounge, but couldn't, probably because he was tense. He walked very slowly when he was asked to proceed for boarding," sources said. When Mail Today contacted Jet Airways, the airlines officials refused to come on record. According to sources, Mallya's tickets were booked a few hours before the flight. "Mallya enjoyed every facility extended to a special guest. It is uncertain whether Customs checked his extra baggage or not," sources said. "Mallya decided to take a commercial flight though he owns two private jets. It could be because if he had flown in a private jet, there would have been fresh controversy," a senior official said.       

      According to sources, there was no look-out notice on Mallya from the Immigration Bureau even though it had been asked to 'intimate' the government if he travelled abroad. When Mail Today contacted Mallya's UB group, the company did not respond to our queries. According to sources, in London, Mallya may stay in a house near Madame Tussauds wax museum on Baker Street. Mallya is being chased by almost every institution in the country - the banks, regulators and the judiciary - for `9,000 crore that he owes to the lenders.