Vijay Mallya has recently broken his silence on the collapse of Kingfisher Airlines, offering a public apology for the hardships faced by its employees while steadfastly denying accusations of being a "chor" (thief). In a recent interview, Mallya addressed the rise and fall of his once-high-flying airline, expressing regret for the unpaid salaries and job losses that plagued its demise.
In a podcast with Raj Shamani, Mallya was asked about his message to the thousands of unpaid Kingfisher Airlines employees. While acknowledging the pain and suffering endured by the staff, Mallya stated, "I would say I am deeply sorry for what happened to them. I would say I am deeply sorry that some of them didn't get paid their salaries. I have no excuses to offer. I take full responsibility." However, he also added context, explaining, "For those who care to listen, there was money lying in the deposit with the Karnataka High Court. I specifically applied to court to pay their salaries, of Kingfisher Airlines staff. But the banks rejected it, and the courts rejected the permission. There was really nothing I could do beyond that." He claims he put ₹3,000 crores of his own money into the business.
Mallya also addressed the widespread criticism he faced for maintaining a lavish lifestyle, including a grand 60th birthday celebration, even as Kingfisher employees struggled financially. He defended his actions by pointing out the timeline: "Kingfisher Airlines shut down in 2012. My 60th birthday was in December 2015. There was nothing I could do in the interim to find money to pay the staff in particular. Because any money that could have been infused would have been taken by the banks because all my assets were frozen."
Beyond the apology, Mallya used the interview to push back against what he perceives as unfair labeling. Addressing the "fugitive" and "chor" tags, he asserted, "You may call me a fugitive, but I didn't run away. I flew on a prescheduled visit. Fair enough, I didn't return for reasons that I consider valid… so if you want to call me a fugitive, go ahead. But where is the 'chor' coming from? Where is the 'chori'?” Mallya has been residing in the United Kingdom since 2016 and is facing extradition proceedings to India, where he is accused of defrauding a consortium of banks of over ₹9,000 crore (approximately $1.2 billion) through loans to Kingfisher Airlines.
Mallya expressed his willingness to return to India if he is assured of a fair trial and a dignified life. "If I have a fair assurance of a fair trial and dignified existence in India, I will think about it seriously," he stated. He has previously argued that he fears unfair treatment and a media trial in India.
Mallya maintains that his intentions were always to repay the loans and has claimed to have made multiple settlement offers to the banks, none of which were accepted. In February 2025, he submitted to the Karnataka High Court that the ₹6,200 crore debt he owes to banks has been recovered "multiple times over" and sought a statement of accounts detailing the amounts recovered from him and his associated entities.
